/sci/ - Science & Math

Assuming similar budgetary constraints, what should NASA have done instead of the Space Shuttle?

IMO they should have made a dream chaser/X-37B style vehicle for crew use, so they could do satellite servicing style missions and missions where the payload can be brought back to the ground.
This would have allowed them to develop the tech for heat shields, EVA, Re-usable capsules, re-entry aerodynamics etc

They also should have developed an Energia style launcher for medium-Heavy lift, leave the light work to the existing family of launchers, IE; delta, Thor, Atlas etc.
The core stack would be effectively a medium lift launcher comparable in performance to Saturn 1B, and this could launch the space plane inline on top of the second stage for regular missions.
It's payload performance could be improved with modular strapon boosters and higher performance second stages.

This first stage could then be eventually worked into a Re-usable stage.
Either with a gliding method, or with VTVL.

In this way the technology and operational experience would be gathered for both the first and second stage of a future fully Re-usable system.