Comments on: What astronauts want

By: Space Politics » What other astronauts want

Space Politics » What other astronauts want — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 01:33:16 +0000

[…] in late August a group of former astronauts published an op-ed in the Houston Chronicle in support of human space exploration in general and Constellation in particular. (The link to the original op-ed is now broken, as the Chronicle […]

By: Gary Miles

Gary Miles — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:11:05 +0000

@blairf

Being employed by ATK or Lockheed Martin does not automatically mean that these former astronauts are working in the Constellation program. But even if they were, why is it wrong for them to express their opinion? They believe in the program and think it is the right direction. Noticed that the piece was in the opinion/editorial column. Steve Hawley is a physics professor at KU and I find it hard to believe that he had any conflicts of interest involving Constellation.

By: Tom D

Tom D — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:24:49 +0000

blairf,

I’m sorry if I was a bit strong in my comment, but I read far to much simple accusation on the web these days. I hope the current debate over NASA’s plans results in some good changes (like the axing of Ares 1), but I hope cordiality isn’t tossed out the window along the way.

I do wonder about the timing and purpose of the op-ed. It does look like big changes are coming for NASA. I don’t think this would have been written if that wasn’t a very serious possibility. I think almost any change from the current Constellation plan will be an improvement, but a lot of people aren’t going to like it.

By: blairf

blairf — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 20:53:03 +0000

TomD

Hang on a minute…

No one is accusing them of being dumb, venal or driven by base motives.

But 16 ex-astros – 13 directly employed by Constellation and the other 3 closely linked (you do the google searches I can’t be bothered to re-do them) that is no coincidence.

They all have achieved way more than I, and I don’t question their morals, passion or commitment. But how the heck do you think this op-ed came about. They randomly met up in a bar and decided to write it? Or the constellation PR machine decided their case needed some astro support?

By: Rand Simberg

Rand Simberg — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:43:53 +0000

Space X has a 2 out of 5 launch success rate (40%).

SpaceX has a much higher reliability than that at this point. You can’t compute future reliability by such a simplistic analysis. It is not a random process. At this point, I would estimate that the Falcon 1’s reliability is in at least the low nineties if not higher.

By: Marcel F. Williams

Marcel F. Williams — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:10:22 +0000

I don’t understand why astronauts would be reluctant to travel into space aboard a Space X vehicle. Space X has a 2 out of 5 launch success rate (40%). The current shuttle has a 125 out of 127 launch success rate (98%). So its obvious that riding aboard a Space X vehicle would be much more exciting for a ‘space cowboy’ than riding aboard the shuttle:-)

By: Tom D

Tom D — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:01:06 +0000

I wouldn’t automatically assume base motives for these former astronauts. I think it would be wiser to assume this really is their opinion and try to find points of common agreement. The points we don’t agree with should be argued logically and cordially and not just dismissed with simple accusations. There is far too much useless contention these days. We can do better.

I would personally like to see as many astronauts on my side as I can get. They aren’t dumb. A few may truly be venal, but most either haven’t caught the vision of near-term commercial spaceflight or have become so disillusioned by the slow pace of space development that they have little hope for anything beyond NASA. Some (probably most) are quite anxious to push the development of space.

I do think the Chronicle should have written “Former Astronauts” as part of the byline, but I’m not sure if that would have made much of a difference.

By: common sense

common sense — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:52:57 +0000

Well, the problem really doesn’t lie with the astronauts. Here again it is with the press. Sorry. Anyone at the Chronicle asking what these astronauts do for a living? Then again, do you think that the Chronicle has a vested interest here? What do you think? Say for example about their readership at Clear Lake if they do not endorse anything that looks like supporting JSC… Just asking.

By: Jonathan Goff

Jonathan Goff — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:46:04 +0000

blairf, well, I see only 75% there. The one working for USAF and the two educators probably don’t have conflicts of interest.

By: blairf

blairf — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:52:19 +0000

10 mins with google makes it clear it is pretty much all of them pleading for their employers.

Jeff Ashby USAF
Michael Bloomfield ATK
Bob Crippen ATK
Roger Crouch Freelance educator
Jan Davis Jacobs
Brian Duffy LM
Jim Halsell ATK
Steve Hawley Kansus University
Rick Hieb LM
Scott Horowitz ATK
Bruce McCandless LM
Don McMonagle Raytheon
Pam Melroy LM
Charlie Precourt ATK
Ken Reightler LM
Kent Rominger ATK