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Re: <Two bits worth
To Kelly
>This is not a trivial mater. Not only do you need a huge accelerator to
>decel the fuel down to usable speed (why are we launching fuel toward the
>ship from a microwave sail ship? Why not a maser beam to a mini decel sail?)
>from a platform being pulled around by the sail. NOt easy.
>
>I think Tims problems are with assuming the fuel launcher will keep working
>long enough.
Yeps, but then again I have problems with anything concerning this project ;)
>After 15 years in NASA I have very colorfully opionion of our space program,
>or lack there of. But things are coming to a head. People want to see some
>results, and people are starting to realize NASA's been screwing around and
>eating up money without producing anything, and that large comercial
>potentials are being locked out. Thats anoying people.
Sounds like Russian circumstances ;)
>Several groups are. Problem is NASA can't decide if it really wants a new
>launcher built that will make the shuttle look stupid (even if it saves the
>agencies bacon), or just try to twist things into a long term technology
>study.
>
>X34 start as a com,pany program that wanted to use NASA test equip. Then
>NASA took it over and opened it up for a sham compatative bid. That awarded
>it to the origional companies. Then NASA tried to take it over and redefine
>it the way they wanted it to be done. The companies got madder and madder.
> Then decided it was 'uneconomical'.
>
>The X-33 SSTO program (which is the expected shuttle and expendable
>replacement) is having similart problems with NASA, but NASA can't afford to
>have it fail. But they may want it to even at the cost of the agency. But
>if NASA is destryied, there's noone else to prevent private launch services,
>so that market should incresse a lot.
Is NASA changing its policies to become a bit more commercial? (I'm a bit
lost about what became of the critical time, when the US government had no
money to pay its employers a while ago.) I also remember you changing jobs.
Timothy