“How does NASA TV contribute anything whatsoever to government transparency?”

Have you ever seen it?

In what way doesn’t it?

What would good government transparency be for you?

Go back and read the discussion to see my answer in context.

No need. The question stands.

However that brings up a good question – how much government transparency do you want?

How does NASA TV contribute anything whatsoever to government transparency?

“NASASelect, as it’s known”

No, NASA TV, which is for the public. I get it through my cable provider, but it is also available over the web on NASA’s website.

“ferreting it out on the web is ‘work’ and a bit esoteric for J.Q. Public in general”

Oh, now you are speaking for 312,866,709 U.S. citizens?

Yes, I can see how it would be hard for YOU to find. Go to NASA.gov and click on the “NASA TV” link. Whew, that was hard.

Again, you have failed to show that NASA doesn’t provide information to those that want it. But keep in mind that NASA being 0.5% of the national budget is also a reflection of how little the public cares about us doing things in space.

The vast majority of people will get their space updates from their regular news outlets. I know I say two separate space related articles yesterday on the Msnbc.com website, both related to spacecraft. Crawl out of your basement and look around – maybe you’ll see something besides your shadow…

NASASelect, as it’s known, was initiated for NASA use- engineering etc., and intra-center communication and commerical networks picked up the feed to save $. Who needs a camera crew and TV correspondent at KSC when you can green screen him/her and use the feed for cable coverage and radio feeds. But for the general public. its not public access channel on most cable systems- ferreting it out on the web is ‘work’ and a bit esoteric for J.Q. Public in general- , chiefly because cable systems do not make any $ from it- whereas carrying a HSN channel does provide cable systems a % of each sale. Even CSPAN has to battle for channel space. -sigh- You’re just cranking to crank.

“Skylab wasn’t designed to be upgraded in orbit.” Duh. Point is, post ASTP, as budgets evaporated and shuttle was in development, the engineers and planners began to retink using what they had and to make the best of it- both for HSF and robotics. A smart engineering and managerial mind set overdue to be revisited today vy the space community- hence Dr. Kraft’s advocacy to make the best use of existing assets. You’re just craning to crank. Move on.

“This is a useful line item why?”

Go back and read the discussion to see my answer in context.

However that brings up a good question – how much government transparency do you want?

Do you want our government spending part of your tax dollars to provide internet close access to what the rest of your tax dollars are being spent on?

NASA has a TV channel where you can see what’s happening on the ISS – does the DOE have a TV channel for it’s 16 National Laboratories?

This is a useful line item why?

“All these LEO space platforms have limited lifetimes. Doesn’t mean the base line missions aren’t capable of being modified to extend their life and usage.”

Skylab wasn’t designed to be upgraded in orbit. Mir and the ISS were.

“Voyager was at it sailed along. So to the Rovers.”

Software upgrades for robotic vehicles. Not exactly relevant to human tended space stations.

“But circumstances and budgets changed a great deal between Skylab’s inception and when it was abandoned on orbit.”

Yes they did. Funny how you were OK with spending borrowed money back then, but not now.

Also, notice how the plans at that time were for not going back to the Moon. They were focused on setting up operations in LEO – refurbishing Skylab into a permanently staffed space station, getting the Shuttle going for LEO-only missions. Even back then, after basking in the glory of Apollo, NASA had essentially said “One & Done”, with the one being one program (Apollo) to the Moon.

“High school labs aren’t staffed by six students”

You’re either daft or avoiding the subject. Probably both…

How often do you see press releases talking about what’s happening with federally funded labs? NASA has a TV channel where you can see what’s happening on the ISS – does the DOE have a TV channel for it’s 16 National Laboratories? As usual, you are imagining problems that don’t exist.

Sorry the American public does not track 3.8 billion spent for a lab each year out of a 3.5 trillion a year federal budget.