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From: mrb1@cbnewsh.att.com (maurice.r.baker)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Recovering HST from orbit
Summary: Wait just a minute here.......
Message-ID: <1991Feb9.162525.16127@cbnewsh.att.com>
Date: 9 Feb 91 16:25:25 GMT
References: <6814@harrier.ukc.ac.uk> <91039.210444NU128479@NDSUVM1.BITNET>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 33

In article <91039.210444NU128479@NDSUVM1.BITNET>, NU128479@NDSUVM1.BITNET writes:
> I know that I do not have
> the knowledge or experience to critically evaluate this project.....

> I believe the "top-down" evaluation was performed by some
> engineer(s) with an over-estimated sense of knowledge, if performed at all.
  ^^^^^^^^^^^
Please stop and think for a second before making a statement like this.  Eval-
uation of a program (like the HST) is done by many people over the project
lifetime.  Sure, the mirror problem shouldn't have been overlooked.  But
to use the word "engineer(s)" to refer to the entire group of technical,
scientific, management, financial, operations research, etc., etc., etc.
professionals that managed and evaluated HST construction is specious.
It's attitudes and perceptions like that which make engineering the
difficult, poorly understood, and largely unrespected profession that it is
today.

There's at least one book (don't have it here at the office, but will
post the title, ISBN, etc. if anyone's interested) which chronicles the
HST project up to a couple of years ago....covers the politics, personalities,
finances, etc. as well as the technical considerations involved.  Maybe you've
read the book or seriously looked at these kinds of issues; if so, I've
responded in error.  If not, please try to get some facts before performing
an evaluation of any project.

I'd prefer to marvel at its successes in data gathering & observation to date
[limited though they might be] while recognizing the need to learn from our
mistakes.

Maurice R. Baker
Electrical Engineer
AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel
homxc!jj1028  -or-  jj1028 at homxc.att.com