NASA’s Mess

Danny Deger @ Nasaspaceflight.com forum on Ares I selection in ESAS (I don’t know if this is true, I have little knowledge about the matter):

The Ares data isn’t just ITAR, it is Sensitive But Unclassified as it should be to not expose criminal conduct. Yes that is right, all data that exposes any criminal conduct must not be exposed to any one for any reason at NASA or you will be fired.

And it doesn’t matter if Ares I won the sellection during ESAS, ULA [GL note: this was Lockmart & Boeing at the time] had to be allowed to bid – especially for cost data. I can’t say in strong enough words cost estimates ALWAYS come from the contractor. Doing internal cost estimates without a bid then letting a sole source contract is a felony under Federal Acquisision Regs.he sellection during ESAS, ULA had to be allowed to bid – especially for cost data. I can’t say in strong enough words cost estimates ALWAYS come from the contractor. Doing internal cost estimates without a bid then letting a sole source contract is a felony under Federal Acquisision Regs.

This was in the past. At present, the Augustine Panel is just mulling on which heavy lifter to build – even when panel member Jeff Greason showed none is necessary. But that option is not in the panel’s list. Why? Because it seems irrationality rules the world of most panel members. That’s how decisions are made: stupidly.

There will never be spacefaring or progress with such bad leadership.

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Everything Will Stay The Same

Charles Bolden, the coming NASA administrator was the pilot on senator Nelson’s shuttle flight and has been an SRB / Ares I lobbyist (they used the term “educator”).

So, my prediction is that Ares I will continue on stumbling at least for a few years – too many faces would be lost to admit defeat this soon.

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Swedish Missiles, Changing a Ship’s Course

Some years ago, Sweden had a plan to defend their air space with a vast network of radars at cellular phone network masts coupled with very fast missiles. And whaddya know, now Swedish missile oxidizer technology is finding itself to Ares I. I don’t know if it’s from the same missiles.

Ares I is becoming a parody of rocket development really. A parody of billions of dollars.

People might say of NASA that “it takes time to change a big ship’s direction”, hence people should tolerate Ares’ problems that keep popping up years after they’ve been known of elsewhere and trust that NASA will prevail eventually.

Hard to change direction quickly? Excuse me! It surely didn’t take long for Griffin to change the agency’s course totally in 2005. Fire everyone who disagrees (Steidle etc), put up a new quick study (ESAS) and put all efforts on the results (that are quickly shown to be not really cutting it, Ares I and V are becoming larger and larger and less and less shuttle derived every iteration).

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