they are well within contract because the contract is “total load” but the Dragon’s can lift far more; if they have the rocket behind them…and the Merlin C’s just dont have it…the D will. NASA knew this and it didnt take to much in the way of orbital lift checks to figure it out Robert

NASA has known about this of course, but since the Falcon v1.1/Dragon combo will able to easily deliver the balance of the CRS commitment with just six of the remaining ten flights, it hasn’t been an issue.

Remember also that Orbital Sciences will not be maxing out the payload capability of the Antares/Cygnus until their 3rd flight either. Their first two flights use the smaller Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM), but since their vehicles are disposable, that may be by design.

Too bad Congress can’t see how the CCiCap program is using the same successful development process as the COTS/CRS program. Who knows what motivations Congress has, but they are “cutting off their nose to spite their face” – but it’s our collective nose and face that feels the effects, not just Congress. The games that people play…

Their problems with the 787 have put a real squeeze on Boeing.
You also have to remember that SpaceX has foreign competitors as well as domestic ones.

Yes finger pointing everywhere but first let’s take care of this incompetent Congress in almost all matters, including space.

What I am hearing is that many people expect the President and his department leaders to make the sequester as painless as possible, and they then expect the House and Senate to pass whatever legislation is needed to help with this.

They expect “unfair” tax loopholes to be closed.

They also can not justify very generous civil pay when their own pay has taken a hit in this economic downturn.

Those are the sentiments that I am hearing.

“NASA has been sending lighter loads than SpaceX has advertised because that’s all the system could lift? That’s news.”

It’s not like they needed the additional mass, since the ISS is pretty well stocked. And I should make clear that this is speculation on my part (which is why I said “probably”), not anything I have read.

Regardless, after this next flight they can load Dragon up to the gills and the Falcon 9 v1.1. will have plenty of extra margin.

I am not enamored with congress but it looks like their are plenty of fingers to point around including at the current administration and NASA.

NASA has been sending lighter loads than SpaceX has advertised because that’s all the system could lift? That’s news.

Yes of course. And who decides the goals? In any organization those who hold the budget decide the goals. In this instance, Congress. They write the law remember? They give the money remember? They will do whatever they please until someone says it ain’t so. But who in his right mind will expend political capital for NASA???? For what? 0.5% of our budget or something that ridiculous. Be real.

“What you described implies there are some serious ethical flaws with the people who run NASA. You accurately describe reality but don’t try and say its a good thing.”

Well then. Welcome to reality. Ethics? Ever worked? And I mean really? Ethics are for those who have no power. Remember the incident at a defense contractor a few years back when some high level person were doing, and I believe was eventually charged, with something unethical (I believe related to the USAF tanker deal but I can’t find the reference just now). Then each and every employee of all defense contractors (plural) had to take a class in ethics… Odd isn’t it?

Another thing I believe they say “the fish rots from the head” right? And the head in this particular example is Congress. Of course one might argue whether Congress does have a head at all…

Now and then, just like beauty, ethics is in the eye of the beholder.

Did I say it is a “good thing” anywhere?

My friend, c’est la vie.