NASA administrator says space shuttle was a mistake

[coolhand]

http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20050928/1a_bottomstrip28.art.htm

discuss

[cameraman]

discuss

What is with this "discuss" command? What are you, an eighth grade teacher?

[Gnam]

I also read somewhere that NASA is buying a bunch of Soyuz capsules from the Russians so they can still get to the IIS. Now that's sad.

Also heard the Russians are threatening to end cooperation on the IIS because they don't like us threatening Iran. Peace in space mofo's.

[coolhand]

What is with this "discuss" command? What are you, an eighth grade teacher?

to irritate you

[coolhand]

I also read somewhere that NASA is buying a bunch of Soyuz capsules from the Russians so they can still get to the IIS. Now that's sad.

Also heard the Russians are threatening to end cooperation on the IIS because they don't like us threatening Iran. Peace in space mofo's.

it will be interesting to see what they do.

[KLang]

20/20 hindsight IMO.

If NASA had been allowed to build what they wanted to, without interference of the military and politics, it might well have turned out quite differently.

I'm happy they have a new plan to go beyond LEO. I just wish we weren't re-inventing Apollo to do it. We should be farther along. [sigh]

[coolhand]

after the budget got cut they had a list of things they wanted to do. and the space shuttle was the only thing that passed.

there was nothing else they could have done in the seveties.

[dando]

20/20 hindsight IMO.

If NASA had been allowed to build what they wanted to, without interference of the military and politics, it might well have turned out quite differently.

I'm happy they have a new plan to go beyond LEO. I just wish we weren't re-inventing Apollo to do it. We should be farther along. [sigh]
100% spot on. I wonder if Griffin would have spoken up back in the 70s about these mistakes? IMHO, the ISS is only a mistake because it's a shadow of the original plan, and relies on the Shuttle for building and servicing.

-Kevin

[KLang]

Griffin's response (http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=18259)

So it seems the press may have mis-characterized his remarks. Imagine that.

[racer2c]

100% spot on. I wonder if Griffin would have spoken up back in the 70s about these mistakes? IMHO, the ISS is only a mistake because it's a shadow of the original plan, and relies on the Shuttle for building and servicing.

-Kevin

Hmm, seems like the Soyuz does more of that then the shuttle.

[Ankf00]

we currently are using an allotment of Soyuz capsules from an old agreement, and I believe we're about to run out. An arms-contro law concerning tech purchases from those who arm Iran keeps us from acquiring more. Talks have been underway for the past 2 years in Congress to legislate a loophole with regards to Soyuz. Not sure the current status of those but it seemed like it was going through due to DeLay, may have already been passed too...

shuttle: meh, everything's already been said. Also, there's a reason Griffin was out of NASA for such a large period of time, considering his generation of mgrs was supposed to lead the agency coming into the 90's... Politicians will always think they know best, and as such NASA will always be dealing with it, and that's why you ultimately have bad choices such as the shuttle. GM still sucks. :p :D

good news: today yet another clueless guy from the president's original selection of Sean O'Keefe as NASA administrator has resigned. Although he was a vet who flew combat missions, flight experience plus a BS in poli sci isn't exactly the resume for technical management. Then again this would explain why the request for proposals for the CEV contains the most exact financial requirements and almost no technical requirements...

[dando]

Hmm, seems like the Soyuz does more of that then the shuttle.
Sorry, 2c, I should have been more clear, the ISS would not exist w/o the Shuttle. Of course, servicing the IIS has mostly been handled by the Russia since 2/2003.

-Kevin

[dando]

Then again this would explain why the request for proposals for the CEV contains the most exact financial requirements and almost no technical requirements...
d00d, requirements? :p we don't need no stinking requirements.....build it when? oh sure.... :shakehead

-Kevin