FallingWithStyle

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• Commented on Update on China Science Trips by Bolden - and Holdren

  So no surprises and no change. Bolden is getting on with what he has been asked to do as he always has. No-one is backing him. Obama and Holdren continue to keep quiet just as they have ever since the...

• Commented on Getting Out of the Gravity Well on One Thin Dime

  Planning a detailed programme is pointless at this stage, when NASA needs to play for position. I would prioritise totally differently based on: a) project risk (mid-term cancellation of multi-year mega projects which only deliver at the end) b) regular...

• Commented on The Senate NASA Compromise: A Hinge of History?

  'There were "adults" on both sides working behind the scenes to develop and sell this compromise, even if there are to be changes made ahead' Whilst this is true, the adults were solving a political challenge - how to get...

• Commented on When The White House No Longer Has Your Back ....

  Based on the claim that an outsider can sometimes see things more clearly than other's who are too close, I would say that the explanation for this whole sad episode is only too obvious. 1. Obama said to Bolden exactly...

• Commented on Astronauts Send Letter in Support of Commercial Crew

  I would not comment on your views about use of US taxpayer's money since it's none of my business, except to say I can perfectly understand your position. But I do suggest that commercial is more important to the "the...

• Commented on Astronauts Send Letter in Support of Commercial Crew

  @Les, @cessnadriver, @bolt_catcher Relying entirely commercial crew is obviously a gamble and personally, I think that organisations should more open about risks. But the Apollo/Constellation way takes money which is in short supply, and in the circumstances, this is a...

• Commented on Space Technology Industry Forum

  "Aside from the vulnerability to easy cancellation of so many different projects (versus one coherent goal-oriented program)" I had often wondered how people reached this conclusion - completely the wrong way round. A programme of many small projects with short...

• Commented on Senate Rejects Obama's Space Plan

  "The Senate bill, which if passed would lay out the direction of the space program for the next three years ..." Says it all....

• Commented on UDPATE: Obama DID NOT "Charge" Bolden To Do Muslim Country Outreach

  Question: do those who think Obama and Bolden's direction for NASA is OK have a problem with all this? If Bolden and Obama had chosen to continue Constellation - under funded as before perhaps - would these people now be...

• Commented on Senate Prepares To Throw Road Block At NASA Policy

  I don't understand enough about American politics to know how serious this is, but if they succeed it will be one of the world's shorter Pyrrhic victories (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrhic_victory). Both Musk and Bigelow are attracting non-government investors (US government that is),...

• Commented on White House on Space: Ready, Fire, Aim

  A much needed article, although it's a pity that such clear and visionary explanations of the new strategy don't seem to carry the same force as hurt and angry tirades. There's one big omission though IMO. Logsdon says "One element...

• Commented on The Rebellion Continues at JSC

  "Scott Pace, a former NASA official directing the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University, says he can foresee a compromise in which Congress maintains development of NASA's Ares I system to reach low Earth orbit and simultaneously underwrites efforts...

• Commented on Falcon 9 Development = Cost of Ares I Mobile Service Tower

  if it just got more funding .......

• Commented on Looming Job Losses

  Out of curiosity, are any of the serious Constellation supporters in Congress or the Senate asking for extra money, given Augustine's assessment of how much extra the PoR needs? Has anyone put a figure on it?...

• Commented on Exploring The Outer Solar System With Humans

  "The deleterious effects of GCRs ultimately limit possibilities of the human exploration of the solar system. Unless huge (approximately factor of 10) mass penalties are paid, round-trip human voyages are likely limited to ~5 years even if artificial gravity can...

• Commented on Unlikely Alliances Against Obama Space Policy

  "If you've lived through the era of going from 8 bit computers to 64 bit ones, the idea that all that progress should've had a Road Map is incomprehensible." Hear, hear There's a sense that NASA once succeeded brilliantly given...

• Commented on Feedback On Today's Hearing

  "Do you believe the President's plan is executable? No." CessnaDriver inadvertently summarises the depth of thinking as well as the position. The criticisms of Obama's plan are far too off-hand. The little criticism there is is largely confined to the...

• Commented on Space Exploration Workshop Charts Online

  "The part that was missing from VSE was the reason to go back" This says it all IMO. Constellation, as opposed to VSE, had lost its purpose and many people - deeply involved in executing the mission - scarcely missed...

• Commented on Space Exploration Workshop Charts Online

  NASA sets out systematically to conquer space. I wonder if we will hear anything from the "let's just build a big rocket instead" tendency?...

• Commented on Atlantis and ISS Transit The Sun

  Apropos of nothing, the Shuttle is a phenomenal machine which must have taught the agency a huge amount. Has NASA ever done and published any study on lessons learned over the years? (Apart from the mishap reports). I'm thinking about...

• Commented on Flagship Technology Demonstrations RFI Is Out

  Fantastic. To me, this is much more inspiring. Pity the food growth objective is not more ambitious - just a few fresh toms to perk up the packed lunches, rather than staples. But I suppose you have to start somewhere....

• Commented on Flagship Technology Demonstrations RFI Is Out

  Fantastic. To me, this is much more inspiring. Pity the food growth objective is not more ambitious - just a few fresh toms to perk up the packed lunches, rather than staples. But I suppose you have to start somewhere....

• Commented on Whitesides Lands at Virgin Galactic

  Efen if, by some horrible misfortune, the Constellation programme does muster support to continue Michael Griffin's disappointing 60s historical re-enactment, I reckon nothing will stop the likes of Branson and Musk reaching space somehow. If there is a market, they...

• Commented on Senate Opposition to Obama Space Plan On The Increase

  “That system could lob the Orion around the moon” Ares V, Ares I+, DIRECT, whatever. All different but apparently alternatives. Which can only be true if you don't really know what you want to do or why. Destination is a...

• Commented on Commercial Space Enables Exploration

  The point which CessnaDriver and others makes is perfectly true of course - commercial has not delivered yet because no-one has found any real commercial market (apart from telecomms). But this is missing the point. Getting business enterprises into space...

• Commented on While We All Argue - Let's Not Lose Sight of The Ultimate Goal

  I'd love to know what contributors think the aims of space exploration in say the next 30 to 50 years should be. Not so far off as to be science fiction, close enough to impact FY11 direction, realistic but beyond...