Author Topic: LIVE: Congressional Hearings into Obama's NASA Budget FY2011 - Feb 24-25 Part 2  (Read 363341 times)

Offline Bill White

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Or better yet in an open market with fixed prices, milestone based payments and performance bonds.

But that cannot happen until we end NASA's monopsony.

Monopoly = one seller many buyers

Monospony = one buyer many sellers
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Offline mmeijeri

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Of course it can. One buyer, many sellers. We'd still get transparent prices. And I'm all for ending NASA's monopoly.
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Offline Cog_in_the_machine

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Do you mean having other entities that send not just com. sats, but people and cargo in space like NASA? Would other governments or space tourists count?
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Offline Chris Bergin

I can see this edging off topic. Keep it on the main points of yesterday's hearing.
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Offline mmeijeri

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You can "see it edging off topic", now there's some of that famous British understatement. Point taken. :)
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Offline zerm

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In reading around it appears to me that following yesterday's hearings, a lot of people, aside from my pal Miles, are simply not buying into the Obama budget as is. Most seem to see what I noticed in the first House hearing two weeks ago- the Congress is not favoring this proposal... and there are many more hearings ahead.

Today's hearings should be watched closely.

Offline Cog_in_the_machine

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I think the biggest mistake in the new budget was the rapid transition. I'm sure if there wasn't such an abrupt shift from shuttle to commercial outlined in it, it would have gotten very little opposition (if any). Perhaps the lack of goals would have been criticized, but I doubt anyone would have cared much as long as there weren't massive layoffs.
« Last Edit: 02/25/2010 01:57 pm by Cog_in_the_machine »
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Offline marsavian

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I did say it would not survive its first Congress encounter intact ;). Just the start of the rewrite. I don't know whether anyone mentioned it before but Nelson said he has never seen Congressional Authorization and Appropriation Committees so united which is not good news for this budget's proposers. This budget may have done a favor in the long run if it spurs serious thought and funding on HSF direction.
« Last Edit: 02/25/2010 01:58 pm by marsavian »

Offline Chris Bergin

You can "see it edging off topic", now there's some of that famous British understatement. Point taken. :)

Heh ;D

In reading around it appears to me that following yesterday's hearings, a lot of people, aside from my pal Miles, are simply not buying into the Obama budget as is. Most seem to see what I noticed in the first House hearing two weeks ago- the Congress is not favoring this proposal... and there are many more hearings ahead.

Today's hearings should be watched closely.

When do they start, and is it worth a new thread (I won't be able to cover due to being in transit).
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Offline bad_astra

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I think the good thing that came out of the hearing is that we understand there is still a destination: Mars. In that regard portions of the VSE are still alive.

I think the main problem people, apart from those most ardent adherants to the Cult of Direct, is the gap. There was, and remains only one way to solve that, which is shuttle extension. If Congress is concerned it should fork over the money to maintain a couple of flights a year until 2015 without touching the current budget's allocations. Will it do that?

Instead the congressional troglodytes will use this as an excuse to bemoan global warming, while the supporters of Obama will try to stand firm but find their spines still made of cartillage. As usual in this country Nothing will be done.
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Offline Cog_in_the_machine

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Today's hearings should be watched closely.

When do they start, and is it worth a new thread (I won't be able to cover due to being in transit).

I think they're going to start any moment now...

EDIT - it is starting now.
« Last Edit: 02/25/2010 02:04 pm by Cog_in_the_machine »
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Offline psloss

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Will be interested in whether Representative Gordon plays any cards, so to speak, in this hearing.

Offline Chris Bergin

Copy. Changed the thread title to include this hearing. Please add notes of interest.
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Offline psloss

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Interesting (sort of) that members outside the committee are going to ask questions.  (But not their purpose -- such as Rep. Posey.)
« Last Edit: 02/25/2010 02:07 pm by psloss »

Offline Cog_in_the_machine

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I can't read the name of the guy talking now but he opens the hearing by saying this basically:

NASAs' FY2011 budget has positive features - i.e. the 6bln extra $, increased earth sciences and aeronautics funding, long term tech R&D, extending ISS to 2020.

But the budget is a radical change that has happened under questionable circumstances.
« Last Edit: 02/25/2010 04:22 pm by Cog_in_the_machine »
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Offline psloss

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I can't read the name of the guy talking now but he opens the hearing by saying this basically:
Bart Gordon -- the chairman on the committee.  Very important.

Offline Cog_in_the_machine

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Olson is talking now.

Columbia taught us not to do unbound R&D programs and that we need fixed goals. Canceling Constellation would undermine crew safety.
« Last Edit: 02/25/2010 02:15 pm by Cog_in_the_machine »
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Offline psloss

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Ralph Hall couldn't attend; Pete Olson is the ranking member today.

Offline marsavian

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Gordon questioned the rationality behind relying solely on commercial companies who by virtue of extra COTS funding implication are already struggling with the cargo contracts.
« Last Edit: 02/25/2010 02:17 pm by marsavian »

Offline Cog_in_the_machine

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Olson - "NASA is a mission driven organization which works best with clearly defined goals"

Now Boldens' going to talk.
« Last Edit: 02/25/2010 02:18 pm by Cog_in_the_machine »
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