Re: Space funding (was Re: Hillary needs to quit)

pv+usenet@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 (PV) wrote:

>Zombie Elvis <DELETEMETOREPLYrobertocastillo@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> writes:
>>>When Nasa EXPLORES it will inspire. The Mars rovers did inspire--natch
they 
>>>are on the chopping block.
>>
>>Not to mention that the Mars rovers are a lot cheaper than the shuttle
>>program.
>
>And the mars rovers aren't on the chopping block, where did you hear
that?
>The probe missions have perennial troubles and always have, because they
>require thinking further ahead than NASA is good at anymore. Thank the
gods
>for JPL, who still know what they're doing when allowed to.

Of course, your selective blinders allow you to forget the number of
times JPL has screwed the pooch.

>>A big part of the constellation was that it recycles a lot of old
>>shuttle technology which itself is something like thirty years old.
>>The shuttle was a huge money pit which is why much of our space
>>exploration technology is "current" instead of current.
>
>Yep. On the other hand, they've been scouring junkyards looking for all
the
>specialized plumbing and other works of engineering genius that went into
>the saturn V engine, so they *do* seem to have some ideas what's good to
>steal from. It was bar none, the best rocket engine of all time. And NASA
>forgot how to make some of it. Bastards.

'the' Saturn V engine?  The Saturn V had something like 22 _different_
engines.

D.
-- 
Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh.

http://derekl1963.livejournal.com/

-Resolved: To be more temperate in my postings.
Oct 5th, 2004 JDL