When I was at the AIAA meeting in Pasadena last month, Doug Stanley told me that this study would be coming out soon:
Commercial launch with propellant depot architectures significantly improves the extensibility and mission payload capability by providing a robust framework for all foreseen missions in the next 30 years. Adding to commercial launches every few months provides experienced and focused workforce to improve safety, operational learning for reduced costs and higher launch reliability, reduce launch costs depending on the government/industry business model. The depot framework allows multiple competitors for propellant delivery that is low-risk, hands-off way for international partners to contribute because it is not in the critical “mission” path and provides redundant alternatives available if critical launch failure occurs. The architecture provides reduced critical path mission complexity (Automated Rendezvous and Docking events, number of unique elements), provides additional mission flexibility by variable propellant load. Commonality with COTS/commercial/DoD vehicles will allow sharing of fixed costs between programs and “right-sized” vehicle for ISS, thus stimulate US and international commercial launch industry. Development risk is reduced by eliminating four space elements including the major Earth-to-orbit launch vehicle and solar electric propulsion transfer vehicle, large mass margins with current and proposed launch systems, and the Cryogenic Propellant Storage and Transfer in-space technology demonstration program. Finally, the architecture creates powerful partners from commercial US industry and internationals that increases political sustainability of the overall program.
A lot of people have been wondering when he’s going to start fighting back against the Obama campaign lies and smears that have been going on all summer. He’s apparently been keeping his powder dry, and in the post-debate environment, I think these will have a devastating effect on the undecideds.
Some improvement, but not enough. Still looks like a slowing economy. Whoever is president will probably inherit a recession next year. But one candidate actually knows how to get us out of it.
Here’s a post from the fiftieth anniversary, with links galore, and here’s what I wrote last year.
Note that today is also the eighth anniversary of the winning of the X-Prize. If Virgin Galactic hadn’t made so many bad decisions in the aftermath of that event, they’d probably be flying passengers by now.
“Lockheed Martin will give into the administration and ignore the law at their peril,” Graham warned. I asked what happens if the president attempts to reimburse them? “If he tries to go through Congress, well, that’ll never happen.” And if he tries to reallocate funds? “We would shut that down. The Constitution has a balance of powers for a reason. Congressional law cannot be unilaterally discarded by the executive branch.” Indeed, congressional Republicans will perhaps have an easier time controlling the purse strings than they have in reversing the White House’s course. In August, the Democratic senate voted down an effort led by Graham to force defense contractors to comply with the law, when the senate’s Appropriations Committee rejected by 17-13 an amendment that would have overruled the Labor Department’s advisory.
This is the most outrageous flouting of the law yet. It is shameful that Lockheed Martin is being put in this position, but if I were them, I’d obey the law. Morality aside, they can’t count on this administration coming to their rescue later. It’s clear that it, and the Democrat Party in general, has zero integrity.
