earlw@pesnta.UUCP (Earl Wallace) (01/30/86)
I wish some of the DOD money would go to NASA so they wouldn't need to make money from commercial flights of the shuttle. Maybe the idea of having a National Space Agency whose primary mission is research instead of profit would help solve a lot of shuttle problems. When has the military made a profit? Yea, I know we sell guns, planes, ships, and what-have-you to other nations, but do we really make a profit? We need the military to protect our land/lives, right? We don't mind wasting a little money (cough.. cought..) to protect our hides. When it comes to increasing our knowledge of the Universe we all live in, that should be a profit making enterprise, right? Has finding a cure for AIDS generated any money for the Nation yet? No? Well, in that case, let's stop the program now! I fear that the military will use this shuttle disaster as an excuse to build their own rocket fleet or even shuttle fleet and less and less funds will go NASA's way and in short time, the only 'space' agency will be a military one. Any comments? Am I all wet or what?
michael@ucbiris.BERKELEY.EDU (Tom Slone [(415)486-5954]) (02/02/86)
In article <3005@pesnta.UUCP> earlw@pesnta.UUCP (Earl Wallace) writes: >I wish some of the DOD money would go to NASA so they wouldn't need to >make money from commercial flights of the shuttle... >I fear that the military will use this shuttle disaster as an excuse to build >their own rocket fleet or even shuttle fleet and less and less funds will >go NASA's way and in short time, the only 'space' agency will be a military >one. The sad fact is that right now, approximately 50% (give or take 10%) of NASA is military oriented. There have been at least two "secret" shuttle missions which were entirely for the benfit of DoD. And even sadder, due to the unfortunate demise of the Challenger, the DoD will assert its obeseness and grab an even bigger share of the now, more precious shuttle time.
rdz@ccice6.UUCP (Robert D. Zarcone) (02/03/86)
In article <3005@pesnta.UUCP>, earlw@pesnta.UUCP (Earl Wallace) writes: > > I fear that the military will use this shuttle disaster as an excuse to build > their own rocket fleet or even shuttle fleet and less and less funds will > go NASA's way and in short time, the only 'space' agency will be a military > one. > > Any comments? Am I all wet or what? I don't think you're all wet. I think you're right on the mark. It's no secret that the military has been trying to revive the rocket delivery system for some time now. And as far as "commercial" (i.e. Fortune 500) use of the shuttle, the Europeans, Japannese and Chinese will soon all be able to offer much better rates. With the continued drive toward "privitization" (i.e. "for profit only") of government agencies, you can be sure that the shuttle's, and maybe even NASA's (as we know it), days are numbered.