For those centered on Direct, there's an interesting post in the EELV thread Looks like Ares-I might go the way of the dodo....enter Jupiter.http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=17671.msg441996#msg441996
Doesn't sound like anything new, just CxP coming to grips with their own mortality.I'd be willing to bet the delay of Ares IX is going to be the nail in the coffin. It's a SRB with dummy stuff attached and they can't get it up and running let alone a full Ares IXThe thing that fraks me off, is if you went to NASA's website you'd think everything there was going according to plan. Like TO is just a "minor issue", they don't talk about delays or anything. If I have to go elsewhere to find accurate news on CxP how honest does that make them look.Lies of ommission seem to be the standard nowadays. It makes me furious, and I can't trust anything that comes out of www.nasa.gov anymore./rant
Quote from: robertross on 07/20/2009 08:12 pmFor those centered on Direct, there's an interesting post in the EELV thread Looks like Ares-I might go the way of the dodo....enter Jupiter.http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=17671.msg441996#msg441996I would think that this is someway connected with the rumor that Marshall was looking at a scaled-down Ares V that Danny Dot brought up on here.The only problem I have with this '"Ares IV" is the fact that it continues to use the larger Ares V core. More development needed there then using the old 8.4m core. Ares V also remains unchanged...which I take to mean the 6x RS-68 and 5.5seg boosters. This requires extensive infrastructure changes.Close, but still not cutting it for me. They need to scale it down to the point where we have as much infrastructure commonality with the STS as possible.
Quote from: gladiator1332 on 07/20/2009 08:29 pmQuote from: robertross on 07/20/2009 08:12 pmFor those centered on Direct, there's an interesting post in the EELV thread Looks like Ares-I might go the way of the dodo....enter Jupiter.http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=17671.msg441996#msg441996I would think that this is someway connected with the rumor that Marshall was looking at a scaled-down Ares V that Danny Dot brought up on here.The only problem I have with this '"Ares IV" is the fact that it continues to use the larger Ares V core. More development needed there then using the old 8.4m core. Ares V also remains unchanged...which I take to mean the 6x RS-68 and 5.5seg boosters. This requires extensive infrastructure changes.Close, but still not cutting it for me. They need to scale it down to the point where we have as much infrastructure commonality with the STS as possible. It has to start somewhere...Perhaps when they go through the paces now they might just find a more 'Direct' architecture that fits the bill.Ending Ares-I is the first step.
I wish they'd stop dilly-dallying around, just grab the ball from us and run with it.Progressing with a program that is affordable, sustainable, which closes the gap in a short period of time, which allows all contractors and states to stay in the game at acceptable funding levels and which will actually allow the agency to do the job at hand is the best way to save face, IMHO.The political world is going to want heads for the debacle we are in. If those heads continue to drag this out any longer it will only look worse for them IMHO.The only way they have a chance of saving their careers at this point is to move forwards with a much better, more thoroughly thought-out plan at this point -- a plan which hits *ALL* of the nails firmly on the head this time, not just a few.DIRECT could actually save their butts -- if they're willing to let it. If not, I think their civil service careers are going to effectively come to an end in a matter of weeks. Its entirely up to them at this point.Ross.
Actually that brings up a good question:Who actually does give the order to change plans at NASA. Does the president the power to force NASA to change... does the Administrator have any actual power at all? What if both have legal power to choose what is best for NASA.I'm guessing that the president says what NASA's objective must be, and the administrator takes what he views as the necessary steps to carry it out.Politics of space flight =/
Likely not. People will be up in arms as it's a "luxury" expenditure in the eyes of the majority. it's a shame really
Quote from: cgrunska on 07/20/2009 11:09 pmLikely not. People will be up in arms as it's a "luxury" expenditure in the eyes of the majority. it's a shame reallyThink about it. If you spend $35 billion on the space program, where do you think that money goes? Do they box it up, offload it on the lunar surface and scatter it there? No. It's ONE HELL of an economic stimulus package. Every dime of that money gets spent right here in salaries, mortgages, rents, groceries, clothing, gas for cars, going to the movies, spending in the retail outlets, families going to restaurants, kids buying school lunches, etc, etc. It ALL STAYS HERE FOLKS! It gets spent in the economies all over the country. The space program is an economic boon to the nation! Apollo raised the economies if many states and regions. Those areas are better off to this day than if Apollo had not happened.
I wish they'd stop dilly-dallying around, just grab the ball from us and run with it.Progressing with a program that is affordable, sustainable, which closes the gap in a short period of time, which allows all contractors and states to stay in the game at acceptable funding levels and which will actually allow the agency to do the job at hand is the best possible way to "Save Face".The political world is going to want heads on blocks for the debacle we are currently in. If those heads continue to drag this out any longer it will only look worse for them.The only way they have a chance of saving their careers at this point is to move forwards with a much better, more thoroughly thought-out plan at this point -- a plan which hits *ALL* of the techno-econo-political nails firmly on the head this time, not just a select few of them.DIRECT could actually save their butts -- if they're willing to let it. If not, I think their civil service careers are going to effectively come to an end in a matter of weeks. Its entirely up to them at this point.Ross.
