A question from me,I'm not up to date with the specifics of American politics. I know there were attempts to get NASA's budget settlement reviewed, what is the current status on this? Given that the new MSL 2020 rover has been planned based on the current projected budget envelope, if there were a change in the settlement to restore some of the planetary budget would there be sufficient funds to start work on the Europa mission, given that the Mars mission is already selected?
I think it's a rort.Sample return can't be done.A caching rover is not sample return.This mission is being cheated away.I'm sure it's worded in such a way that lets it swoop in a steal the money at such a low fidelity (MSL repeat capability) but that doesn't mean it's the right thing to do and everybody is going to agree with it.
Rort is a term used in Australia and New Zealand to mean a scam or fraud.[1] It is commonly used in relation to politics or a financial impropriety, particularly relating to a government programme.
I found a word Americans don't use lolHere's what wiki says QuoteRort is a term used in Australia and New Zealand to mean a scam or fraud.[1] It is commonly used in relation to politics or a financial impropriety, particularly relating to a government programme.Build MSL copy, get samples. No it takes billions more dollars. The whole Europa mission can be done and out the way for the same price.
Quote from: Alpha_Centauri on 12/23/2012 01:11 pmA question from me,I'm not up to date with the specifics of American politics. I know there were attempts to get NASA's budget settlement reviewed, what is the current status on this? Given that the new MSL 2020 rover has been planned based on the current projected budget envelope, if there were a change in the settlement to restore some of the planetary budget would there be sufficient funds to start work on the Europa mission, given that the Mars mission is already selected? Normally, the President's proposed FY2014 budget would be released in early February. Right now it is on hold and probably will not be released until late February or even March. Until that is released, we will not know what the planetary budget looks like. For instance, did the administration choose to fund the Mars 2020 rover by putting back into the budget the money that it proposed removing last year? Or did it choose to fund the Mars 2020 rover by cutting money from elsewhere in the planetary budget, like New Frontiers and Discovery?Assume that they restored the money that they cut and that planetary is at about the rate it was projected to be a couple of years ago. There will still not be enough money to fund both the Mars 2020 rover and a Europa mission. Too expensive. The proper thing to do would be to put the money back into the New Frontiers and Discovery program lines, because those were cut too, along with the Mars budget, in the President's proposed FY2013 budget.Assuming a relatively flat planetary science budget, the earliest that a Europa mission could be funded is in the 2020s.
I would favour taking all the money from the Discovery & New Frontiers budgets for however long it takes and putting it into this instead. As the second highest ranked priority after Mars sample return I regard the financing of this project as far more important than any project that either of these two programmes might be financed for at this time.
Quote from: Star One on 12/27/2012 05:35 pmI would favour taking all the money from the Discovery & New Frontiers budgets for however long it takes and putting it into this instead. As the second highest ranked priority after Mars sample return I regard the financing of this project as far more important than any project that either of these two programmes might be financed for at this time.It's fun to have opinions, isn' it?
Quote from: Blackstar on 12/27/2012 07:22 pmQuote from: Star One on 12/27/2012 05:35 pmI would favour taking all the money from the Discovery & New Frontiers budgets for however long it takes and putting it into this instead. As the second highest ranked priority after Mars sample return I regard the financing of this project as far more important than any project that either of these two programmes might be financed for at this time.It's fun to have opinions, isn' it?Is there any good reason not to go this route when money is tight?