Comments on: Cap Weinberger and human spaceflight

By: Martyn Williams

Martyn Williams — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 21:23:25 +0000

We should also remember that Casper Weinberger was one of the fiercest critics of what was at the time, the Space Station Freedom programme. If he’d have had his way, there wouldn’t have been a Space Station, because he saw the SSP as a threat to the funding of the SDI.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 21:13:53 +0000

“Also, arguing that SDI’s positive aspects outweighed its negatives or that what we got was worth it requires quite large and thick rose colored glasses”

What were the negative aspects? I count money, but that was partly the point:

http://www.jerrypournelle.com/slowchange/Strat.html

The other point was to introduce a great deal of uncertainty into the USSR’s strategic models, which by the way they were derived were susceptable to that.

By: Donald F. Robertson

Donald F. Robertson — Fri, 31 Mar 2006 01:48:44 +0000

I just read that Casper Weinberger was a native of my fair city, and once represented San Francisco in the State Assembly. Who know? Just goes to show that everyone can have a secret liberal heart!

— Donald

By: Mike Puckett

Mike Puckett — Thu, 30 Mar 2006 19:32:12 +0000

“Yes, patriotism and ultra-nationalism virtually ensures eternal life in paradise after death.

Every good religious fascist knows that!”

Being an asshole ensures eternal life in an infernal region.

Every one with common sense knows that.

You are going to be the first one headed there in a corn silo SSTO handbasket

By: Thomas Lee Elifritz

Thomas Lee Elifritz — Thu, 30 Mar 2006 15:14:57 +0000

Yes, patriotism and ultra-nationalism virtually ensures eternal life in paradise after death.

Every good religious fascist knows that!

By: Steve Mickler

Steve Mickler — Thu, 30 Mar 2006 15:14:29 +0000

Of course I did not say that the money would have gone to NASA. My point was that painting Cap as a great proponent of manned spaceflight is belied by the fact that under Regan he pushed other endeavors.
Also, arguing that SDI’s positive aspects outweighed its negatives or that what we got was worth it requires quite large and thick rose colored glasses.
If the argument is that Nixon was “on the fence” about continuing manned spaceflight and that the memo in question pushed him over the edge… well maybe, but I wager the truth is more nuanced.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Thu, 30 Mar 2006 04:40:42 +0000

And let’s not forget that useful things came of SDI: DC-X, Clementine, rail guns, a great deal of fundamental research in materials and other areas, and theoretical and practical underpinnings necessary to make directed energy launch possible.

By: Jim Rohrich

Jim Rohrich — Thu, 30 Mar 2006 01:35:19 +0000

“Cap supported Star Wars which wasted huge amounts of money that if applied to manned space exploration could have gotten us to Mars and beyond. Today as the leading space power the U.S. would be seeing an increasing part of its GDP coming from off-world sources. However, realistically, the money would probably just have been wasted somewhere else.
I don’t think the memo Cap wrote convinced Nixon, but rather that it was in line with what Nixon would have done anyway.”
Steve

Spoken like a true Trekkie. There is no evidence to support this. SDI funding would not of gone to NASA. And there is no evidence to support what Nixon “would have done.” There’s a lot of evidence that shows Nixon as neutral or hostile to space exploration; Apollo 18 – 20 cancelled, Agnew’s call for a manned mission to Mars as a follow on to Apollo getting the axe.

Weinberger was a great SecDef. I served while he ran the DoD and am proud of it.

By: TORO

TORO — Thu, 30 Mar 2006 01:27:40 +0000

So Cap and Nixon did their part for NASA, but who at NASA stepped up with the vision? Armstrong? And after Challenger? Ride?

No leaders at NASA? Ever since Ike and John, just wait for marchingf orders? We throw all power and vision to the executive branch?

By: Mike Puckett

Mike Puckett — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 17:38:52 +0000

“Cap was a great man, he will be missed.

Yes, it’s sad. It must be a real bitch to burn in eternal hellfire and damnation.

Posted by: Thomas Lee Elifritz at March 29, 2006 12:18 PM
”

Yes, it must be. Thank goodness he is not there. At least Cap wont have to worry about that or having to spend eternity next to your incinerating soul.