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• Commented on Why is NASA Langley Wasting Time on Cold Fusion Research?

  If NASA is engaged in buffoonery, then ask Bolden and Obama WHY?...

• Commented on Phobos-Grunt Mission Threatened

  Actually, the T-34 (Russian WWII tank) is considered by many to be the best tank of WWII. More properly put: the Germans believe in striving for engineering perfection while the Russians believe in "good enough" engineering. I have to admit,...

• Commented on Progress Launch Boosts Soyuz Confidence Level

  "He simply wanted somebody else, and their money, to take over the transport and supply duties so that he and NASA could concentrate, and spend more money ..." elsewhere. And how is this different in any form or fashion from...

• Commented on Progress Launch Boosts Soyuz Confidence Level

  Actually as a free-market conservative I'm pleased with the commercial effort. I was pleased when Mike Griffin first announced it. I was pleased that he chose SpaceX and Orbital over the others based on technical merit and stood his ground...

• Commented on Progress Launch Boosts Soyuz Confidence Level

  Actually as a free-market conservative I'm pleased with the commercial effort. I was pleased when Mike Griffin first announced it. I was pleased that he chose SpaceX and Orbital over the others based on technical merit and stood his ground...

• Commented on Progress Launch Boosts Soyuz Confidence Level

  Why is it that so many of the Obamatons are equally sycophantic/rapturous of Musk? Lest you forget, it was the evil Mike Griffin who originally plucked SpaceX from utter obscurity and awarded it a contract (along with Orbital), eschewing the...

• Commented on NASA Debunks Russian Claims About SpaceX Dragon Mission

  "I wrote Sen. Nelson and others,3 years ago that the only available system that might eliminate the Gap was Dragon" My $$$ is on Boeing + Atlas-V. Vastly more experience and experience counts. ---John...

• Commented on Hutchison/Nelson: Undermining America's Manned Space Program

  When the facts don't serve your purpose, killing HSF, simply pretend they don't exist. Or better yet, invent new facts: $62.5 billion. ---John...

• Commented on Confusion About Russian Space Policy

  Winston Churchill's quotation, made in a radio broadcast in October 1939: "I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key. That key is...

• Commented on Confusion About Russian Space Policy

  Winston Churchill's quotation, made in a radio broadcast in October 1939: "I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key. That key is...

• Commented on More Sour Grapes From Mike Griffin

  Griffin, who is the person responsible for starting commercial space - remember, it was Griffin who selected SpaceX and Orbital to begin with, is undoubtedly correct here: NASA will have no clearly defined mission until the buffoons of this administration...

• Commented on Progress Mission To ISS Fails

  "The Soyuz-U (Progress) and the Soyuz TG (TMA missions) use a different 3rd stage if I remember correctly." This is correct but I suspect the Russians will delay the launch of the next Soyuz anyway. Just read: "Russia may fail...

• Commented on Blue Origin Test Flight On Wednesday Never Happened

  Keith, will there be video?...

• Commented on Ares 1 Deja Vu?

  Is this administration really stupid enough to believe they can keep a lid on the "independent financial review"? Undoubtedly Sen. Hutchison, is correct: "the administration could have approved the vehicle design concept months ago, prevented the loss of thousands of...

• Commented on Russia Is Bored With U.S.-Subsidized Russian Human Space Flight

  I think Williams nails it: "If the Europeans, Russians, and Japanese want to continue the ISS program with their own funds, they should. But NASA's primary focus should be on establishing a permanent presence on the Moon and exploiting the...

• Commented on Russia Is Bored With U.S.-Subsidized Russian Human Space Flight

  I have to wonder if the Russians are running from the competition ... Boeing/Atlas V, SpaceX, Orbital, Sierra Nevada/Atlas V, Blue Origin/Atlas V, etc. ---John...

• Commented on More Layoffs

  Case in point: the embedded systems group within MSFC is calked full of deadwood and not one is gone....

• Commented on More Layoffs

  Very cavalier of you; particularly when it's not you getting a notice. And what about where the REAL DEADWOOD is to be found - NASA itself? Is this administration getting rid of the tons of deadwood at MSFC? KSFC? Etc.?...

• Commented on ULA Rocks Juno Launch

  ULA could have an RD-180 medium lift and an RD-171 heavy lift. ---John...

• Commented on ULA Rocks Juno Launch

  Does anyone know why ULA doesn't simply use the RD-171 (like the Zenit) in lieu of the solid boosters? ---John...

• Commented on SLS: A Rarely Flown Rocket to Nowhere?

  If that's the best NASA can do then make NASA a funding agency that defines missions: e.g., build a permanent settlement on the Moon. Let Boeing et al. build "systems" to meet mission requirements. Fire-up that Atlas V with its...

• Commented on Boeing Announces Commercial Crew Rocket Selection

  "The Atlas family rockets boasts 97 successful launches in a row while the Atlas 5 family has logged 26 successes and no failures." ... and how exactly does SpaceX compare to that? Given a choose between a ride on Atlas...

• Commented on Boeing Announces Commercial Crew Rocket Selection

  Atlas V to launch test flights of Boeing capsule "Boeing owns a 50 percent stake in ULA. Elbon said the Federal Trade Commission reviewed the deal before it was announced to ensure it wasn't biased in ULA's favor." ---John...

• Commented on Boeing Announces Commercial Crew Rocket Selection

  Today, Boeing expected to reveal Atlas V will carry next crew capsule "The Boeing Co. is expected to name the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket today as the launch vehicle for commercial spacecraft it is developing to fly astronauts."...

• Commented on Senate Issues Subpoena to NASA for SLS Materials (Update)

  Another consequence of this administration's policies: "United Technologies Corp is considering a partial sale or other strategic option for its rocket engine business, the Wall Street Journal said, citing a company executive." ---John...

• Commented on Senate Issues Subpoena to NASA for SLS Materials (Update)

  This is insane: Preliminary NASA plan shows Evolved SLS vehicle is 21 years away ---John...

• Commented on Russia Has Decided To Throw the ISS Away in 2020 (Update)

  We should have insisted long ago that the US have BOTH engineering and management presence/positions in Russia at Roscosmos - to give us complete visibility into how our $$$ is being used/spent. ---John...

• Commented on The Economist Still Is Not Thrilled With Humans in Space

  One other point: the pioneering spirit, the drive to explore, has ALWAYS been an essential ingredient of the American character. Without it, we're something less than those who built this country. An what's out there to attract use, to allure...

• Commented on The Economist Still Is Not Thrilled With Humans in Space

  The Luddite movement began in Britain. I see it's alive and well. ---John...

• Commented on James Hansen Continues To Have Special Privileges

  Maybe because "global warming" borders on religious zealotry? Maybe because to merely question the assumptions on which it's based will result in vicious personal attacks? Maybe because any kind of weather conditions can be "explained" as "global warming": hot weather,...