Not that he’s ever been optimistic, but “Rocketman” thinks that the end of ESAS is in sight:
MSFC and contractor engineers are looking at all sorts of band aids for the vibration problem that ARES is most prone to. The leading candidate this week is a “D” strut system between the first and second stage to reduce the vibration that will literally shake the crew to pieces. The Emperor is putting all of his chips on the table betting on the strut. But the contractors are forlorn. They know the strut has issues…and they know ARES will go away with the Emperor in short order. Its hard to work on something you know is headed for the trash heap of history.
I haven’t worked on the program for a year and a half, but I can imagine that a lot of people are eying their options to bail.
[Update in the afternoon]
Once again, Mark Whittington demonstrates his lack of comprehension of the English language.
exalt (g-zôlt)
tr.v. exalted, exalting, exalts
1. To raise in rank, character, or status; elevate: exalted the shepherd to the rank of grand vizier.
2. To glorify, praise, or honor.
3. To increase the effect or intensity of; heighten: works of art that exalt the imagination.
No one familiar with written English could imagine that my above words do any of those three things, in any way.
If and when the program does die, I will not be rejoicing. I will be grieving over the lost years and lost billions. But my grief will be tempered by the hope (though, sadly, not expectation) that we will finally start doing something sensible.
Like the X-33 SSTO bilion dollar hangar queen boondoggle last decade, this decade ARES seems charted for mothballs.
Except we’ll have spent a lot more than a billion on it.
Rand, do not be too hard on Robert Oler’s former sidekick. Considering who he apprenticed under, it’s a wonder he writes as well as he does. 🙂
Good grief. Maybe he meant “exults”? I used to read Whittington’s blog just for kicks but grew tired of the constant spelling and syntax errors. It’s like nails on a chalkboard. Combine that with half-wit analysis and you’ve got a real winner. I’m surprised you keep him on the blogroll.
Maybe he meant “exults”?
That may be what he meant, but if so, he’s wrong about that, too, because I didn’t do that, either.
Up until now, I thought “rocketman” might know something I didn’t. Reading now that he thinks there is a problem with the CEV TPS because it is using BRI, which was originally developed for Shuttle, tells me, he is a bit ignorant. Yes, the original plan was for an ablator for the backshell, but TPS tiles weighed less and provided adequate protection. So his comments that CEV TPS is in trouble is far from accurate, which makes me wonder how accurate his other statements are. CEV has enough problems without making things up.
…his comments that CEV TPS is in trouble is far from accurate, which makes me wonder how accurate his other statements are. CEV has enough problems without making things up.
Well, I don’t necessarily endorse, or confirm his comments, unless I can. I report, you decide.