Comments on: Senate may take up launch indemnification bill today

By: Dark Blue Nine

Dark Blue Nine — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 21:36:10 +0000

No, given that the first MPCV test flight is on a DIVH, and we’re still pursuing SLS down a very expensive dead-end.

And MPCV has this problem regardless of what it launches on. It’s overweight for its parachutes, not any LV.

By: Vladislaw

Vladislaw — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 21:33:06 +0000

Does the MPCV have to stay heavy in order to justify the need for the SLS?

By: Dark Blue Nine

Dark Blue Nine — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 13:33:30 +0000

“I am surprised that no one here is talking about the departure of NASAâ€™s Chief Engineer, Mike R.”

Ryschkewitsch is going to head up APL’s space department, Griffin’s job before he became NASA Administrator. I could read the move two ways:

1) It’s about what APL offers. More money, prestige, and direct responsibility for hardware and missions (which are closer to what Mike used to do before becoming Chief Engineer) than leading a support office at NASA.

2) It’s about what’s going wrong at NASA. Ryschkewitsch would rather wrestle a slightly overweight Solar Probe spacecraft with a clear mission than wrestle a massively overweight MPCV with no mission.

Probably some of both.

By: Aberwys

Aberwys — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 12:41:02 +0000

I am surprised that no one here is talking about the departure of NASA’s Chief Engineer, Mike R.