Comments on: Space policy issues for the next four years

By: Vid

Vid — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 20:31:40 +0000

The issue that needs to be addressed is a national strategy for space industrialization of which a major building block will be space-based solar power. Space industrialization will make possible a civilization that spans the solar system over the coming centuries. A strategy for space industrialization does not need to look ahead centuries from now. A 50 year plan would make clear what should come first – the Moon, Mars or a mission to an asteroid. 50 years is a typical planning horizon for large scale infrastructure projects. We have the technology to start the industrialization of space. The Moon is the closest body to the Earth with resources needed to build an industrial civilization. The Moon has resources that could be used to build system of power plants in Earth orbit to provide carbon free power to even the remotest places on Earth that could accelerate economic development of China, India and Africa, while creating millions of high paying jobs in the US, EU, Latin America

By: Neil Shipley

Neil Shipley — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 01:33:08 +0000

Sorry, that’s two total for the FH. F9v1.1 has all except the next couple of the original F9 launches.

By: Neil Shipley

Neil Shipley — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 01:31:16 +0000

DoD have just awarded a launch to SpaceX for the FH and another for the F9v1.1. That’s now 2 rides for the new lv, one commercial, one government. Actually, SpaceX being a private company, probably views both as the same type – commercial contracts.

By: Chris Castro

Chris Castro — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 12:59:45 +0000

I firmly agree! If China was smart, it would create its own Constellation-class cislunar capability, and forget all about the “let’s-just-copy-the-ISS” paradigm. Sure, the Red Flag would then be the next national banner raised upon Luna, but we completely blew our once great chances of getting there next, first, when Project Constellation was unjustly terminated, just to give the AMATEURS & HOBBYISTS a crack at actual spacecraft building! Whenever Chinese spacemen reach Luna, or even just Lunar orbit, it will reveal instantly a full level of technological superiority, to the West. The sleeping giant of America has gone into its deepest narcoleptic slumber, with regard to spaceflight, since 2010, when President BO declared the Lunar goal to be over with.

By: Chris Castro

Chris Castro — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 12:38:18 +0000

I totally agree with these assessments! Apollo-Soyuz TP was indeed a big waste of good spacecraft hardware. The U.S. & U.S.S.R should’ve linked up crafts in Lunar orbit, or even rendezvoused on the Lunar surface. The Soyuz in its Zond variation was very capable of conducting a Cislunar journey, (even though flying an actual joint mission with America might’ve required a couple of preliminary/demonstrative flights on their own, akin to our Apollos 8,9,&10). Such LEO-centric thinking, has literally never got us anywhere. Plus, Whoopie!—yet still MORE petty “experimenting” in an LEO station! This kind of mega-expensive child’s play has been done thousands of times since the Soviets had the Salyut station orbited in the 1970’s! Come on, boys! Isn’t it high time NASA breaks orbit, and heads out into deep cislunar space, once again?!

By: E.P. Grondine

E.P. Grondine — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 07:53:44 +0000

Hi RGO –

“There is no excuse for NASA management except incompetence.”

I’ll have to differ with you on that, as I can think of a whole lot of them.

By: E.P. Grondine

E.P. Grondine — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 07:48:37 +0000

Hi V4 –

Our expendable launchers were shut down way before Bush Snr., as the Shuttle was going to be so cheap.
I can’t remember which President that occurred under. In any case, of course more ATK grains were going to be used, so the decision easily went through.

A lot of people talk a lot about China, but few of them know Chinese.

By: E.P. Grondine

E.P. Grondine — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 07:35:38 +0000

Hi AW –

“More likely this is a political sop to European contractors on their last legs.”

Hilarious. Absolutely hilarous.
Keep up the good work. :p)

By: James

James — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 03:33:01 +0000

“Culture changes needed: Another key issue in a resource-constrained era is a willingness to adopt alternative approaches to doing business”t

Not a chance on culture change. Too impossible a task. Easier and cheaper to simply cut content. Robotic, Human, makes no difference; the NASA culture is too resistant to change. Witness Columbia after Challenger. Witness JWST & MSL after hosts of other overruns.

SLS’s ancestors (Venture Star, OSP, you name it) have laid the ground work for its failure as well. The more things change the more they stay the same!

By: Bill

Bill — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 02:08:44 +0000

Orion and SLS will fall by the wayside. Orion has several tragic flaws and one of them is that it is so expensive. And besides once the manned Dragon and CST are flying in a couple years Orion is most certainly not needed-its completely redundant.

The expense of the NASA programs is a result of collusion between contractors soaking the US taxpayer for everything they can get with lousy NASA managers who themselves have no technical abilities, including no ability to manage contracts.