Areo Speedwagon

Recent Actions

• Commented on Florida Does Not Like The New Space Policy

  The Rat wrote: "I got to call BS on the anti-Constellation talking points. Constellation was not over budget. Bolden even admitted to that [...]" Well, Bolden also admitted "that is always the case", and he admitted that to work within...

• Commented on Bolden and Holdren Fight Back

  SpaceWriter wrote: "Senator Nelson just had his say as well. See below link. Sounds like a big difference [...]" So I read the link, and it seemed to me that Nelson downplayed any differences... noting that most of the extreme...

• Commented on Bolden and Holdren Fight Back

  KimKolb, by "latter" I was referring to your second sentence: "Even a "Hold on a minute, we're working on finishing up the details of something we'll get back to you" would have been something." He has stated that concrete milestones,...

• Commented on Bolden and Holdren Fight Back

  KimKolb wrote: "It would be nice if some leadership somewhere stood up and explained what's happening, what's going to happen and what's the goal (if there is one). Even a "Hold on a minute, we're working on finishing up the...

• Commented on You Know You Messaging Plan Is Not Working When ...

  Spaceboy wrote: "Sorry, my confusion comes in because your 2009 budget requests shows values for 2008 and your 2009 request shows numbers for 2008 and 2009. [...] Even if I include the Space Technology budget in there, it is still...

• Commented on You Know You Messaging Plan Is Not Working When ...

  Spaceboy wrote: "Nice try, even the way you posted the numbers dont make sense. First of all the 2008 plan calls for $8.725 billion for Exploration. The 2011 budget calls for $4.263 billion, so precisely how is this not a...

• Commented on Bolden Meets The Press

  To be precise he said the decision was "Purely budgetary for the most part". He also said that although Constellation was on budget and within the funding profile, that is always the case. To stay within the funding profile they...

• Commented on A Less Than Perfect Rollout

  esmithatty wrote: "Quite a few of us would be able to stomach this 'new vision' better if Bolden had emphasized the new destinations that we are going to explore rather than simply we are going commercial and Constellation is being...

• Commented on You Know You Messaging Plan Is Not Working When ...

  Below are the last 4 budget estimates. Exploration decreases by about $100 million FY11 vs FY10, but there's a new item, "Space Technology", funded at $572 million, which increases to ~$1 billion in FY12. Kind of looks like "Advanced...

• Commented on Farewell Full Cost Accounting?

  Full cost budgeting will still be in effect. My understanding is that the difference is that civil servant funds will no longer be allocated directly to programs. However, if centers get program funding then civil servants would still charge to...

• Commented on You Know You Messaging Plan Is Not Working When ...

  The majority of the jobs that will be lost are a result of the end of the space shuttle program which was going to happen with the old plan. The new plan requests a $1B increase. As Bolden indicated on...

• Commented on Personnel Announcements

  The addition of a couple of technical advisors is not a significant increase in bureaucracy, and probably a good thing since Bolden is not deep technically. The new Mission Support Directorate is worrisome, and seemed at odds with Bolden's words...

• Commented on Obama's Plan For NASA Revealed

  Well TX didn't go with Obama in '08 and I doubt that the space vote is what made the difference in FL. Given that there would have been a loss of jobs in FL that lasted well into his second...

• Commented on Obama's Plan For NASA Revealed

  While there is always a period of mourning when dreams come into conflict with reality, software skills should be readily transferable to whatever tele-robotic and robotic missions are coming down the pipe... and I would think that JSC would be...

• Commented on Avatar

  Well that's a little misleading... while some characters fit your description (although I'd say uncaring, rather than vicious) others do not. The film is fairly clearly pro science and pro-investigation/exploration....

• Commented on Avatar

  Just saw it in 3D IMAX at the Metreon in SF... it is a cinematic experience that will stay with you for some time. It's also not a bad movie... not great, but it does work on an emotional level...

• Commented on Today's Video: STS-129 Ascent Highlights

  That has got to be the coolest video I've seen in many a moon......

• Commented on Ares 1-X First Stage Damaged

  There was a high-speed ChuteCam onboard: http://www.advancedimagingpro.com/publication/article.jsp?pubId=1&id=5673 So if that was operating properly, it should clarify the issue of any chute malfunction. Maybe also provide pics of the separation? Or maybe it's blocked until the chute deploys......

• Commented on Ares 1-X Staging Issue

  Apollo 16-17 & Skylab apparently flew without second stage ullage motors to save weight. It takes some finite time before any ullage migrates to a spot where it will cause problems. As noted Spacex experienced a longer than expected thrust...