Message posted by psiuh88 on October 22, 2008 at 16:55:04 PST:

materials science and metallurgy hasn't been stagnant. there are alloys of titanium with the same capabilities (high temperature and creep resistance) and the Ti-13-11-3 that was used on the SR-71, but somewhat easier to manufacture.
The Titanium-Aluminide intermetallics however did not ever get figured out very well. these were supposed to be used for the skin of the "orient express".
there are nickel superalloys being made with very high service temperatures.
I think its more a matter a money and where the priorities to spend that money are - like with stealthy UCAVs, that can loiter over a battlefield for a long time, and delivery whatever kinds of bombs the military wants to put on target.

In Reply to: always something new on the horizon - buckyballs posted by loopbacktest4echo on October 21, 2008 at 7:31:17 PST:

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