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From: web@garnet.berkeley.edu (William Baxter)
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: heavy launchers
Message-ID: <24429@agate.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: 14 May 89 22:55:23 GMT
References: <1989May11.050951.11130@utzoo.uucp> <136@enuxha.eas.asu.edu> <11316@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU> <1989May13.201437.23217@utzoo.uucp> <11401@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU>
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Reply-To: web@garnet.berkeley.edu (William Baxter)
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In-reply-to: jmckerna@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU (Dr. Dereference)
Xref: utzoo sci.space:11394 sci.space.shuttle:3122

In article <11401@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU>, jmckerna@polyslo (Dr. Dereference) writes:
>It's hardly surprising that congress refused to guarantee long term funding
>for the Saturn program, few if any large procurment contracts are or have
>been long term. If the "experts" would have told congress to stick with the
>Saturn V post Apollo, congress most likely would have funded more of them. 
>Although probably with another expensive, short term, and low volume contract.

Then as now, while members of Congress raise some objections to
proposals from NASA, they usually deviate little from the advice of the
"experts."  The record of NASA in providing the appropriate leadership
is so poor, there is a clear need for an alternative source of
information, ideas, and proposals--a need for space activists.

How many readers consider themselves space activists?  How many have
debated the question of what constitutes a rational space program?  No
one bothered to reply to my question about the appropriate role of
private industry in a space program.

William Baxter

ARPA: web@{garnet,brahms,math}.Berkeley.EDU   
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