Isn't a step backwards for the space industry that the space shuttle will soon be put of use?

I've read a variety of reports that say that the space shuttle will only be used for a few more missions and then it will be put of service to be replaced by rockets because they are more cost efficient. Isn't this a step back? Why hasn't anyone been able to develop a worthy and affordable successor to the shuttle?

Also, isn't there an almost embarassing parallel between the demise of the shuttle and the end of supersonic commercial travel when the Concorde jets were pulled from service?

The shuttles use '70s technology, so you can imagine that things have moved on for the aerospace and computer industries since then. The reason nobody has developed a proper successor is that Congress won't pony up the cash. They won't do it because the people (that's us) don't clamor for it. We think (or at least many do) that the space program is not worth the money. So NASA does the best it can, with the budget it's given to work with.

I don't think it's a step backwards at all. NASA's next generation of manned vehicles will be more reliable, safer, and less expensive than maintaining and upgrading the fleet of shuttles. Additionally, they'll be able to return astronauts to the Moon and perhaps beyond, while allowing specific hardware to be tailored for individual missions. That's a nice advantage.

The new Ares I rockets will be able to deliver the same amount of payload into low-earth orbit as the current shuttles, so that's not a step back at all. The Ares V will be able to launch five times that payload capacity.

Some may think it's a step back because they're eager to see a next-generation orbiter with wings, like some of the "space plane" concepts that have bounced around in the last decade or so. While space geek in me would love to see something like that, I don't think we're going to in the near future.

Orion, Ares, and Altair will suit NASA's needs well after Discovery, Endeavour, and Atlantis are retired.

The shuttles themselves were more of a step back. The concept behind them was sound, but the resulting technology was a failure of that concept in virtually every way.

Also, the Shuttle was never designed for a mission beyond the Moon (which isn't really realistic), and now the target is Mars.

No it's not step backward .. The Space Shuttles that we have now is more than 20 years old.. and all of them operate on old technology..And all the computer control unit on space shuttle are pretty much out of date by today's standard.. So we have to rebuild new spaceship and use new technology Anyway, the NASA will develop new space launcher but they are not going to go back and use the old technology from and old days.. trust me..