In this corner, we have the feisty loveable and smart battle-axe from Maryland. In the opposing corner, we have the unspirited one-dimensional stickman from Florida. The winner of this battle-royale will determine whether we have a space-faring future or not.
Stay tuned.
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14 comments:
The key word here is "faring". To one of these titans, learning about space is more important than flying through it. Terps rule!
Who's the battle axe from Maryland?
senator mikulski.
and she could tear your leg off and beat
you to death with it.
She's tough.
Senator Barbara Mikulski
Barbara Mikulski is one of the Senators from Maryland, who represents Goddard in the robotic probe corner.
Senator Barbara Mikulski?
Hint: It starts with Barbara and ends with Makowski.
I hear they want to switch Ares V to a nonexistent disposable SSME called the RS-25, so they can throw away the most powerful, efficient and complex engine ever flown, in lots of six.
I propose we call them mortgages and then wrap and sell them as disposables on the global derivatives market. We'll make a killing, and screw the public.
Mikulski?
@ kT
I also have heard this rumour (indeed, I am informed - and yes, this is second-hand rumour - that at NASA the switch is already underway).
The problem is that the RS-68 engine may not be usable on the Ares-V due to base heating. Naturally, they will use the SSME at first (just to speed things up). I wonder how much long the RS-25 development program will cost and how long it will take? The alternative would be to waste re-usable SSMEs instead, which would also lead to massive costs. Ares-V is already horribly expensive - an expensive core stage engine or an equally expensive engine development program could be its deathblow.
Ah well. If they want an affordable HLLV they'll have to buy Shuttle-C or DIRECT J-232 instead.
We could go to Mars now if NASA built the ships in MD.....
That little Senator can move a mountain, or kill/skin and then moves them.. It’s up to the mountain....
KT,
Your emotional attachment to a piece of hardware doesn't give your position any creditable weight.
If you're going to whine about "throwing away" engines, then perhaps you should do a cost-benefit analysis and maybe then you'll realize the real reality.
Its been almost 2 weeks since this post.
You would have thought that a "clash of the titans" would have been making a little more noise by now...
you should do a cost-benefit analysis and maybe then you'll realize the real reality.
The real reality : our SSMEs are flying right now, and space suited astronauts who are experts at space assembly should now move on to the task developing their skills at space disassembly and recovery, WHATEVER the cost. Certainly that cost won't be anywhere near the level of trillions being thrown around right now to clean up the mess you have made of America and the near space that surrounds it.
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