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NASA had been lagging because of personnell, the same readon Space X succeeded. The people that were around during apollo are just now retiring. It was not beca
by _8j50 4y ago
NASA had been lagging because of personnell, the same readon Space X succeeded. The people that were around during apollo are just now retiring. It was not because of JFK they accomplished so much and it was not because musk overworked or challenged his people they accomplished so much. Blue origin and others are also doing ok, they just were not contract winners or with the best people. DARPA still has the best minds possibly and best inventions as well. Risk taking by leadership is the big difference here.
That said, no way musk gives up his desire to rule over mars or control asteroid mining industry over a few billion dollars.
Frankly, he seems trumpish by the day. I don't think he has anyone close to him who cares for him and isn't afraid of upsetting him. Surround yourself with yes men and never apologize for anything, the true way of insecure and isolated powerful men.
- dgoodell 4y agoNASA is lagging because of personnel? If by “personnel” includes incredibly, weak leadership, then I agree. NASA leadership seems to think NASA’s job is primarily to set requirements and distribute funds to contractors and to avoid managing, building, or operating anything if it can possibly be avoided. They just want to pay someone to do something and slap a NASA logo on it and pat themselves on the back for their “achievement”.
- giantrobot 4y agoNASA has always set requirements and distributed funds. They've always used contractors. PIs on projects are usually full time university professors and their researchers are PhDs (or candidates) working for them. NASA is mostly setting goals, administering projects, and running the projects with contractors turning the wrenches.
- anon291 4y agoAnd that's great, but if we want to actually go to space en masse, it has to escape the confines of the laboratory.