Rec.Aviation.Homebuilt.Spacecraft?

In article ,
Bob Fry wrote:

"DT" == Darrel Toepfer writes:

DT cavelamb himself wrote:
Rutan's crew won the $20 million prize with SpaceShip One. It
cost $40 million.

They seem to think it was worth it...

DT $1.2m per multisecond zero g space tourist, I think they'll
DT eventually make money...

If Rutan doesn't kill them first.

I guess I'm the only one on the planet that thinks Rutan is more
blowhard than substance. Sure, he can one-off stuff that looks sexy
and advanced. But try delivering a reliable production aircraft or
spacecraft...he can't do it. His spacecraft, as I recall, damn near
went out of control on one or two of the three launches. Only by luck
and skill did they not kill the pilot. It's my fervent hope that the
FAA will examine the hell out of their commercial spacecraft venture.

I admit I dislike him for another reason. Everytime I see him on the
TV he's dissing NASA and similar government programs. I grew up
through the 1960's when NASA and others in government were laying the
foundation of technology we all enjoy today, including this forum,
Usenet/Internet. It's not their fault that the Republican
"government-sux" crowd has taken over for 25 years and ruined morale
and budgets.

NASA hasn't done all that well no matter what party has been calling the
shots since the early 1970s, it's not nothing whatsoever to do with "the
Republican 'government-sux' crowd".

And Rutan (along with a host of others) is quite correct in stating that
NASA has become badly risk-averse bureaucracy that seems more interested
in its own maintenance than in doing really new things, particularly in
regard to manned spaceflight.

Which is a crying shame, but pretty hard to seriously dispute. That
zero-risk culture means that things are highly unlikely to change, too.

"SH" == Steve Hix writes:

SH NASA hasn't done all that well no matter what party has been
SH calling the shots since the early 1970s, it's not nothing
SH whatsoever to do with "the Republican 'government-sux' crowd".

Let me make clear I'm not going to defend the current NASA. Their
decline clearly occurred with the cutoff of the Apollo program (under
Nixon BTW though probably Congress had as much or more responsibility
for their cutback). They never really regained the competence and
prestige they had in the '60s.

SH And Rutan (along with a host of others) is quite correct in
SH stating that NASA has become badly risk-averse bureaucracy
SH that seems more interested in its own maintenance than in
SH doing really new things, particularly in regard to manned
SH spaceflight.

Again, not defending current NASA, but the above is overly harsh. They
have achieved some very good unmanned interplanetary missions,
notwithstanding blunders betwee SI and English units. And they have
to avoid obvious risks.

My gripe with Rutan is several, but his utterly over-the-top criticism
of anything government is absurd and childish. It speaks more to his
insecurity than anything.

--
I did not know how to say goodbye. It was harder still, when I refused
to say it.
~ Native American saying

Bob Fry wrote:

"SH" == Steve Hix writes:


SH NASA hasn't done all that well no matter what party has been
SH calling the shots since the early 1970s, it's not nothing
SH whatsoever to do with "the Republican 'government-sux' crowd".

Let me make clear I'm not going to defend the current NASA. Their
decline clearly occurred with the cutoff of the Apollo program (under
Nixon BTW though probably Congress had as much or more responsibility
for their cutback). They never really regained the competence and
prestige they had in the '60s.

SH And Rutan (along with a host of others) is quite correct in
SH stating that NASA has become badly risk-averse bureaucracy
SH that seems more interested in its own maintenance than in
SH doing really new things, particularly in regard to manned
SH spaceflight.

Again, not defending current NASA, but the above is overly harsh. They
have achieved some very good unmanned interplanetary missions,
notwithstanding blunders betwee SI and English units. And they have
to avoid obvious risks.

My gripe with Rutan is several, but his utterly over-the-top criticism
of anything government is absurd and childish. It speaks more to his
insecurity than anything.



Yeah, you got him there.

But he HAS done what he said he would do.

Maybe it's not so much insecurities and plain old fashioned
competence and pride.