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I suppose while we wait, we can discuss the value of NASA doing manned flight vs private enterprise, which is the point of the Economist article: https://news.

I suppose while we wait, we can discuss the value of NASA doing manned flight vs private enterprise, which is the point of the Economist article: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32636643 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32636643

ghaff 4y ago
Enjoy, but that's a debate that's been going on for literally decades. It's also the case that, if you take manned missions of the table into an indefinite future, a lot of the rationale for many unmanned missions goes away too.
- melling 4y ago
  There’s a lot to explore in the solar system. Several satellites orbiting every planet and several interesting moons. Building “smarter” robotic missions to explore… Seriously, with a little imagination …
  - p_l 4y ago
    Imagination is something the bean counters deciding the budget do not have, which is why "ideal project" is always some variation on how we can spread jobs across most districts.
    - ghaff 4y ago
      It's also the case that voters--i.e. those who at least theoretically control the purse strings--generally get more excited about human space exploration. If you cross humans off the options list, those voters are probably going to be less excited about space projects in general with the possible exception of things with fairly direct benefits such as solar and earth projects. Those voters, by the way, also like jobs.
      - p_l 4y ago
        I do wonder at times if the jobs focus isn't super specific to USA, but I don't know many other places. Here in Poland usually the issue is about "will it be done in country or bought elsewhere?" and the likes, though there was obvious malfeasance based around local jobs with the canceling of Caracal contract
- p_l 4y ago
  Consider how even if you try to optimize the costs the projects get cut down until the rationale for cost optimization disappears, like with Cassini-Huygens where a promising serial production drone body for handling unmanned missions was effectively canceled. At least with manned missions it's easier to drum up popular support or play on politicians' ego about being without a manned capability.

ghaff 4y ago

Enjoy, but that's a debate that's been going on for literally decades. It's also the case that, if you take manned missions of the table into an indefinite future, a lot of the rationale for many unmanned missions goes away too.

melling 4y ago
There’s a lot to explore in the solar system. Several satellites orbiting every planet and several interesting moons. Building “smarter” robotic missions to explore… Seriously, with a little imagination …
- p_l 4y ago
  Imagination is something the bean counters deciding the budget do not have, which is why "ideal project" is always some variation on how we can spread jobs across most districts.
  - ghaff 4y ago
    It's also the case that voters--i.e. those who at least theoretically control the purse strings--generally get more excited about human space exploration. If you cross humans off the options list, those voters are probably going to be less excited about space projects in general with the possible exception of things with fairly direct benefits such as solar and earth projects. Those voters, by the way, also like jobs.
    - p_l 4y ago
      I do wonder at times if the jobs focus isn't super specific to USA, but I don't know many other places. Here in Poland usually the issue is about "will it be done in country or bought elsewhere?" and the likes, though there was obvious malfeasance based around local jobs with the canceling of Caracal contract
p_l 4y ago
Consider how even if you try to optimize the costs the projects get cut down until the rationale for cost optimization disappears, like with Cassini-Huygens where a promising serial production drone body for handling unmanned missions was effectively canceled. At least with manned missions it's easier to drum up popular support or play on politicians' ego about being without a manned capability.