Also: Less functionality? Sure! Which means less weight, less complexity, less testing, less intricate engineering or technology development…NASA had absolutely no need for ANYTHING that the Space Shuttle could do. None of it. The STS was designed by the Air Force, who wanted a fast-response launcher for Keyhole vehicles. The only reason NASA was able to do anything with it was arms-control treaties.

Indeed, you could look at the STS as the USAF’s way of giving the middle finger to NASA. The USAF had wanted an aerodynamic vehicle all along; see the X-15 and X-20. And gee golly, look what the STS turned into, despite early studies showing that a VTVL capsule was exactly what NASA needed!

(Edited to fix the emphasis – Alan)

The almost immediate changes in design, escalation of cost and extension of schedule (after using those same reasons for rejecting NGC) tell me that NASA was simply going through the motions with the proposal process, intending to give LMC the contract all along.

NASA would save a lot of time and money by simply granting their supplier of choice a no-bid contract.

And, sadly, after it’s all said and done, Orion is Apollo on steroids with less functionality than the shuttle.

See: Pan-Am Orion III Space Clipper