Space-race countdown

BLUR, Ashburn VA — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 04:02:42 GMT

Let's hope that NASA's evaluation criteria and final selection is based more towards the company's past performance/ proven ability to perform technically and manage program(s) that are on-budget and on-schedule (you know, "Old Space" style). Let's face it, PowerPoint presentations and deep pockets can only get you so far (about 40 seconds of unsuccessful/un-guided flight I'm told).

Space-race countdown

Owen T, Atlanta GA — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 08:53:33 GMT

To be fair, during the 40 seconds of Falcon 1's flight it was fully under control with avionics, pumps, gimbals, engines and everything else performing nominally until the engine was shut down because of a leak at a sensor port. There is nothing unusual about an unsuccessful first flight of a vehicle.

Kistler, on the other hand, has not launched anything and bringing in Orbital Sciences and Lockheed Martin at the last moment is not exactly going to sprinkle any magic dust over the dusty hardware they have in storage. It's very difficult to restart a project when not all the engineers are still around and the bureaucracies of two space industry behemoths are trying their best to become "useful". But the familiar names may still sway NASA decision makers in this direction anyway.

Space-race countdown

Corrector — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 10:51:51 GMT

You are told wrong. The flight was perfectly guided. The avionics worked well until the impact despite being engulfed in fire that broke seconds before launch.

Space-race countdown

Jack Kennedy — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 13:57:46 GMT

This is one of those 'critical moments' for NASA, the NewSpace or Alt.Space industry and the nation's spacefaring future. Let us hope that NASA's administrator stays the course with the pledge to supoort a COTS supply to ISS. If so, and successful, our nation will benefit will a more dynamic program.

Space-race countdown

Nick, Calabasas, CA — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 14:42:48 GMT

By which of course you mean, 40 seconds of flight in which everything except a corroded nut was working perfectly. And I note that that was 40 sec more than the rest of them have.

Space-race countdown

Gaetano Marano - Italy — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 16:23:58 GMT

.

I think it's nonsense and unrational to develop (both) private rockets and capsules

I suggest companies like SpaceX to spend their funds ONLY to develop the CAPSULES and launch them with a ready available rocket (that need only to be manrated)

this way they can launch soon their manned capsules that (despite the costly Delta or Atlas) will be 10 times cheaper that the (exected) cost of a CEV/AresI launch!

if they try to do both jobs they risk to fail or have very long launch delays

-----------------

PS - now there is a link to your Blog on my website: www.gaetanomarano.it/articles/articles.html

.

Space-race countdown

Patrick, Colorado Springs CO — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 17:16:24 GMT

The entire purpose of COTS is to end-run "Old Space."

Space-race countdown

Tony Rusi — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 18:08:53 GMT

I don't like the idea of handing someone hundreds of millions of dollars without so much as a demonsration flight. Even the Wright Brothers had to demonstrate the aircraft to the Army before they got any money. I am still steamed about all the money given to Lockheed for the X-33, with nothing to show for it. They always seem to get a pass. Do they own Washington, D.C. or something??

Space-race countdown

Alan Boyle — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 22:21:25 GMT

Actually, the whole point of COTS is that NASA would be paying for demonstrations rather than paying up front for development ... As Clark Lindsey notes here:

http://www.hobbyspace.com/
nucleus/index.php?itemid=2108

The winners would be paid incrementally, based on how they reach certain milestones. I've heard tell that there is a 90-day ramp-up period where the companies would basically have to get started on the project on their own. I'm sure more details will come out on all that after the announcement is made, but I do hope NASA has learned lessons from the X-33 experience.

Space-race countdown

moonrev — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 00:13:03 GMT

LEO will be brought to you by the letters T&X.

Space-race countdown

BLUR, Ashburn VA — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 01:25:48 GMT

I've got to admit that 40 seconds of (albeit guided) flight right smack into the roof of a machine shop was pretty spectacular. And I'm sure that the Air Force and the NRL was very understanding and sympathetic of the fact that the vehicle woulda, shoulda, coulda been a success if it weren’t for that (fill in the blank). After all, launch was only delayed for what, nearly two years? What a shame. Also, despite what you think, it is rather common these days for a new launch system to be successful on their first flight. Look at Delta IV, Atlas V, Taurus, Pegasus, Minotaur....not to mention several of the newly developed boosters for GMD (maybe there is something to that magic dust!).

Space-race countdown

r. Brummett columbus,In — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 06:11:32 GMT

I have some cherry bombs and a trash can how much money can I get???

Space-race countdown

Kelleigh Lonidier — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 01:49:36 GMT

Why are we still developing expendable space travel systems. Why don't we build a reuseable system that stays in orbit much like the ISS does.

We could build a reuseable system in much the same way that we built the ISS, in sections. Maybe they could utilise some of the inflatable modules currently underdevelopment for habitat modules.

I envision a spaceship that could be used and reused to ferry people back and forth to the moon or even on longer trips like to Mars. The only limiting factor would be fuel and supplies. Capsules should be used to transport people up into space and not on long journeys. Why are we so eager to redo what was done with the Apollo mission. Let's move onto something a lot more ambitious.