[extropy-chat] Bush's Schedule for NASA

[Mike Lorrey]

One problem with most NASA space programs to date: they always involve
developing new, more advanced, technology, which is frequently buggy.
This leads to enormous R&D&T costs to try to eliminate as many failure
points as possible. While this has created a lot of spin-off
technologies as well, it is still considered that this money is spent
"in space".

Bush's new program is one I've advocated for a while: going back and
using established, well tested, tried and true technologies which are
entirely capable of doing the job. They may not be as fuel or mass
efficient as new technologies would be, but they damn sure won't suck
up tons of R&D money.

Lets rebuild the Saturn booster. Rebuild the Apollo capsules and the
Gemini capsules. Equip them with current day computer technologies,
maybe some newer materials technology and so forth, and there will be
plenty of room for additional cargo and supplies for extended missions.

I don't want government space craft to be gee-whiz gold plated Buck
Rogers to the nth degree. I want them solid, staid, reliable trucks for
moving men and mass and nothing else. No bells and whistles, no
advanced technology. Slip in technologies once in a while that the
private market has developed and thoroughly proven to be effective.

Mostly, get out of the way of the private market.

The engineering contracting market has made preparing for the journey
more important than either the journey OR the destination. Lets stop
that and get back to putting the destination first, the journey second,
and preparation something that is turned into a non-risk every day proposition.

=====
Mike Lorrey
"Live Free or Die, Death is not the Worst of Evils."
                                       - Gen. John Stark
"Fascists are objectively pro-pacifist..."
                                       - Mike Lorrey
Do not label me, I am an ism of one...
Sado-Mikeyism: http://mikeysoft.zblogger.com

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