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From: henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Shuttle Articles in Discover Magazine
Message-ID: <6243@utzoo.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 20-Dec-85 12:44:46 EST
Article-I.D.: utzoo.6243
Posted: Fri Dec 20 12:44:46 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 20-Dec-85 12:44:46 EST
References: <8511302156.AA10294@s1-b.arpa>, <594@riccb.UUCP>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Lines: 14

> [I'd give the Shuttle contract]
> to people who have a track record of doing difficult aerospace jobs quickly
> and cheaply.  A rare distinction, alas.

A further interesting note on this...  One of the many interesting facts
brought out in Norman Augustine's fascinating book "Augustine's Laws"
($19.97 postpaid from the AIAA, 1633 Broadway, NYC 10019) is that the
Defence Department has no memory.  A simple scatter plot of contract awards
vs. past performance demonstrates clearly that cost overruns (or underruns!)
on previous contracts don't make any difference in whether you get the next
contract.
-- 
				Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
				{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry