5 ms·

True of NASA in general these days.

by maaku 11y ago

Bluestrike2 11y ago
I wouldn't say that. They've got massive bureaucratic problems that get in their way, not to mention space policy that radically changes every few years thanks to political nonsense, but they've made some truly remarkable accomplishments in just the past few years alone. All while dealing with the consequences of those handicaps and seeing their budget raided for other spending priorities. God damn Richard Nixon to hell for changing how NASA is looked at for budgeting. The consequences of that prick's actions are still felt today. Anyhow, if NASA's bureaucracy were ever streamlined and politicians could refrain from fiddling with the goalposts when they're not moving them from stadium to stadium, NASA could accomplish a great deal more.
- emp_zealoth 11y ago
  Eh, they somehow managed to keep the horrible shuttle around for way too long, and now they are going to have something even worse It's just sad (Especially considering the contributions of JPL - the most successful parts of nasa activities)
- rurban 11y ago
  I wouldn't blame Nixon, rather Lyndon Johnson. He is the one who moved NASA from Alabama with the successful Germans to Houston, getting rid of all the German engineers who designed everything up to Apollo and introducing Anglican incompetent mid-level management and their favor of solid rockets.
  - mturmon 11y ago
    This isn't really accurate. MSFC (the Alabama center originally led by Werhner von Braun) was and remains a NASA center, and it remains significantly larger than JSC (the Houston center) -- I think ~50% larger. NASA was not "moved" from Alabama. Propulsion systems were then and are now led from MSFC. JSC does flight control, space station operations, astronaut training, etc.
- maaku 11y ago
  NASA's problems are cultural and internal, not political and external. I worked there for many years and it is depressing how different it is in the inside from the perception on the outside. But this should not be surprising given how every single project approved must money allocations in furtherance of that PR vision.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]

True of NASA in general these days.

by maaku 11y ago

True of NASA in general these days.

I wouldn't say that. They've got massive bureaucratic problems that get in their way, not to mention space policy that radically changes every few years thanks to political nonsense, but they've made some truly remarkable accomplishments in just the past few years alone. All while dealing with the consequences of those handicaps and seeing their budget raided for other spending priorities. God damn Richard Nixon to hell for changing how NASA is looked at for budgeting. The consequences of that prick's actions are still felt today. Anyhow, if NASA's bureaucracy were ever streamlined and politicians could refrain from fiddling with the goalposts when they're not moving them from stadium to stadium, NASA could accomplish a great deal more.

emp_zealoth 11y ago
Eh, they somehow managed to keep the horrible shuttle around for way too long, and now they are going to have something even worse It's just sad (Especially considering the contributions of JPL - the most successful parts of nasa activities)
rurban 11y ago
I wouldn't blame Nixon, rather Lyndon Johnson. He is the one who moved NASA from Alabama with the successful Germans to Houston, getting rid of all the German engineers who designed everything up to Apollo and introducing Anglican incompetent mid-level management and their favor of solid rockets.
- mturmon 11y ago
  This isn't really accurate. MSFC (the Alabama center originally led by Werhner von Braun) was and remains a NASA center, and it remains significantly larger than JSC (the Houston center) -- I think ~50% larger. NASA was not "moved" from Alabama. Propulsion systems were then and are now led from MSFC. JSC does flight control, space station operations, astronaut training, etc.
maaku 11y ago
NASA's problems are cultural and internal, not political and external. I worked there for many years and it is depressing how different it is in the inside from the perception on the outside. But this should not be surprising given how every single project approved must money allocations in furtherance of that PR vision.
deleted 11y ago
[deleted]