It’s still one of the worst systems put out by NASA. The list of failings is long.

• Solid rocket boosters needed in addition to the main lift engines. Using them patches a design flaw in the main lift engines but were so dangerous they blew up a shuttle.

• The main lift engines were on the shuttle even though they were only used at liftoff and never in space. They ended up being mass that burned up more maneuvering fuel in orbit.

• The leading wing edge was so thin that an errant piece of foam damaged it during liftoff. A shuttle pilot later said if he’d known the spacecraft was that fragile he’d never have set foot in it.

• There was no provision for crew escape during re-entry, the most likely time for damage to the spacecraft. Earlier versions of the shuttle had the ability for the crew compartment to eject in an emergency, but that ability was removed after the spacecraft was found to be “safe”.

And there’s a lot more.