4 ms·

So despite getting 61% more money for the project, they not only failed to achieve what SpaceX did with less money but actually lost another $1.6b on top of it

by tedivm 2y ago

So despite getting 61% more money for the project, they not only failed to achieve what SpaceX did with less money but actually lost another $1.6b on top of it while still failing to achieve the necessary result. Boeing just seems to be really, really bad at this.

mschuster91 2y ago
> Boeing just seems to be really, really bad at this. Boeing isn't contracted for results, it's contracted to disperse pork (aka jobs and money) across the districts of politicians who vote for earmarked NASA funds.
- bobthepanda 2y ago
  Normally you’re supposed to make money off of pork though.
  - BobbyJo 2y ago
    The communities where Boeing employees live did indeed make money.
    - actionfromafar 2y ago
      Will someone think of the share-holders?!
      - bitmasher9 2y ago
        What about the tax payer? I don’t want a space program that soaks billions of dollars and doesn’t actually deliver on anything. If we are going to have the fed boost job figures by funding large projects then there’s dozens of other things they could invest the money in that will provide actually valuable assets. I’d love to have a viable national space program. The current program has helped advance us so much and an effective program would be a huge boon for society. However this $4b was clearly wasted, and we need to spend our money with companies that deliver results. I just wish there were more companies delivering on their promises in the space industry.
    - bobthepanda 2y ago
      Eh, I don’t think thats true either. Here in Washington it’s not exactly secret Boeing is trying to hollow out their local workforce. Unless you’re at the executive level, Boeing is “heads we win, tails you lose.”
  - antisthenes 2y ago
    Those jobs and money buy houses and put kids through college, despite not delivering astronauts safely. Ultimately, it's what we collectively decided is more important.
    - eska 2y ago
      Sounds like broken window fallacy to me. We pay for projects with the expectation that they will not provide value, but somebody gets paid. That’s the same as breaking windows across town so some people can get paid to fix them
      - rbanffy 2y ago
        The value they provide is continuous employment, research and development of technologies that have military applications, local industry development, and, eventually, space exploration. This is why NASA has offices and hires manufacturing all over the country.

by tedivm 2y ago

mschuster91 2y ago

> Boeing just seems to be really, really bad at this. Boeing isn't contracted for results, it's contracted to disperse pork (aka jobs and money) across the districts of politicians who vote for earmarked NASA funds.

bobthepanda 2y ago
Normally you’re supposed to make money off of pork though.
- BobbyJo 2y ago
  The communities where Boeing employees live did indeed make money.
  - actionfromafar 2y ago
    Will someone think of the share-holders?!
    - bitmasher9 2y ago
      What about the tax payer? I don’t want a space program that soaks billions of dollars and doesn’t actually deliver on anything. If we are going to have the fed boost job figures by funding large projects then there’s dozens of other things they could invest the money in that will provide actually valuable assets. I’d love to have a viable national space program. The current program has helped advance us so much and an effective program would be a huge boon for society. However this $4b was clearly wasted, and we need to spend our money with companies that deliver results. I just wish there were more companies delivering on their promises in the space industry.
  - bobthepanda 2y ago
    Eh, I don’t think thats true either. Here in Washington it’s not exactly secret Boeing is trying to hollow out their local workforce. Unless you’re at the executive level, Boeing is “heads we win, tails you lose.”
- antisthenes 2y ago
  Those jobs and money buy houses and put kids through college, despite not delivering astronauts safely. Ultimately, it's what we collectively decided is more important.
  - eska 2y ago
    Sounds like broken window fallacy to me. We pay for projects with the expectation that they will not provide value, but somebody gets paid. That’s the same as breaking windows across town so some people can get paid to fix them
    - rbanffy 2y ago
      The value they provide is continuous employment, research and development of technologies that have military applications, local industry development, and, eventually, space exploration. This is why NASA has offices and hires manufacturing all over the country.