I think the only bi-partisan point that is not debated and agreed upon is that politicians in general fear the pre-Columbia space station overrun and Apollo era spending spike NASA. I think they fear that “not-right-stuff-dollars culture” may be hard to change.

Thus perhaps the NASA VSE should be simple: NASA learning to live to a fixed budget, year after year after year … What would JFK say to the challenge of NASA living to a budget? Perhaps “We do not do these things because they are easy, but becasue they are haard, very haard.”

LOL. Another “man of straw”.

Steidle was hired by O’Keefe and Griffin decided he wanted soemthing else. I’m sure you think Griffin invented the idea of a new manager bringing in people he wants, but I assure you he did not.

But then the method of getting there was never cast in stone during O’Keefe (nor should it have been) so of course at such an early stage the method should still be in flux. Otherwise the detractors would say they’ve already decided the method prior to considering all methods available.

As usual, the devil is in the details, and that, of course, is what we’re all arguing about!

— Donald

(Little did Constantine realize that his cross in the sky actually represented the space station.)

We’ve been here before. The Space Station as a goal has stayed relatively constant, but the purpose and method for getting there were “upended” on a regular bases. While I support many of the changes I see, Mike Griffin is in the process of doing that right now.

— Donald

Donal: “I expect that no greater truth has ever been written!”

Oh Please.

VSE upended?? Lets see the VSE was orginally about returning to the Moon, planning to go to Mars and other missions beyond that. So how has the basic scope, idea, or dare I say VISION of the VSE been “upended”?