MINSKY%MIT-OZ@MIT-MC.ARPA (08/10/84)
At the time it became clear that spacelab would fall in less than two years, I wandered around various NASA centers to see what could be done. Not only was the shuttle late but the remote (telepresence) maneuvering vehicle project was essentially unfunded. But I also got an impression of general unenthusiasm for an emergency rescue effort. True, the thing was worth more than a billion in replacement costs. But I got the feeling in several places that people would rather make a new better one than work on refitting and re-engineering the old one. No one would actually admit to this, but that's the impression I got.