Business, Media Criticism, Political Commentary, Space

A New Attack On SpaceX

36 Comments

Well, well…

I wonder who is putting them up to this? Basically, he’s the Congressman from eastern Colorado, not including the cities and burbs in the Front Range. But he may have some constituents who work for Lockmart or ULA. He’s not on any of the space committees. Also, note that he’s running against Mark Udall for Senate (likely to be one of the tighter races). Coffman, of course, is the congressman from Lockmart/ULA (Littleton). I wonder what SpaceX’s Space Act Agreement says about release of this kind of data? It looks like they want to do a smear job.

[Update a little while later]

Gee, look at the URL that came with the email. I’m sure that, like Lois Lerner’s missing emails, it has no significance.

[Wednesday-morning update]

Jeff Fooust analyzes at Space News.

Press
Release from Representative Cory
Gardner

Congressman Cory Gardner

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 15, 2014
Contact: Emily Hytha, 202-225-4676


Gardner Presses NASA for Transparency on SpaceX

Gardner and Coffman Send Letter Expressing Concern over Lack of Disclosure and Repeated Anomalies on Launch Vehicles

Washington, DC
–
Today, Congressman Coy Gardner (CO-04) and Congressman Mike Coffman (CO-06) sent a letter to the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) expressing strong concerns over anomalies that have occurred on taxpayer-funded space launch vehicles, and the lack of public disclosure or transparency of these anomalies. The letter expresses concern over an epidemic of anomalies that have occurred during SpaceX launches or launch attempts, and communicates frustrations with NASA’s refusal to provide insight into those mishaps.

"In the interest of full disclosure and accountability to the American taxpayer, we request that NASA publicly release all anomalies and mishap information, un-redacted, so that Congress can gain a better understanding of what has occurred and ensure full transparency. Because the development of the vehicles and capsule in question were funded by NASA dollars, we request that you provide Congress with the information you have on the various aspects of risk and reliability from these programs, including contractual, management, technical, manufacturing, cost, schedule and safety," wrote Coffman and Gardner.

According to recent news reports, SpaceX launch attempts have resulted in wide ranging problems, including multiple helium leaks, loss of capsule control, multiple thruster issues, avionics issues, capsule contamination issues, and three consecutive seawater intrusions on ISS Cargo Resupply (CRS) missions. SpaceX contracted or planned 24 Falcon 9 flights for its NASA, DOD and commercial customers through 2013 and flew seven. They list approximately 30 flights for this year and next, yet have only flown three times.

"Because the vehicles in question were funded by American taxpayer dollars, there should be no issue making this report publicly available. This information is critical to Congress’ understanding of these programs and the associated risks," wrote Coffman and Gardner.

The letter to NASA can be found here.

###

Congressman Gardner is a member in the U.S. House of Representatives serving Colorado’s 4th Congressional District. He sits on the Energy and Commerce Committee and is a member of the following Subcommittees: Communications and Technology, Energy and Power, and Oversight and Investigations.

CONGRESSMAN CORY GARDNER

Media Criticism, Political Commentary

Another “Recycled” Hard Drive

7 Comments

This time at the FEC:

The FEC has a far-reaching mandate into the operations of elections, which means that partisanship in that agency is particularly corrosive. The Hatch Act requires strict neutrality of all federal employees while on duty, and one would expect that to be particularly observed in the FEC. Instead, Sands tweeted partisan messages from her office in 2012; sent out fundraising pleas for Obama’s re-election campaign, called Republicans her “enemy,” and said they should shut up and “stand down.”

When the Inspector General came knocking, however, the evidence had vanished. The FEC “recycled” her hard drive, which meant that criminal charges could not be pursued. How exactly could this have happened? Sands was under suspicion of a crime under a statute which would be updated later that year, in a bill signed by Barack Obama himself. Shouldn’t the FEC have taken steps to secure evidence rather than destroy it?

Note her connection to Lois Lerner. It really is remarkable how fragile these devices are when confronted with a subpoena or investigation.

Business, Economics, Space, Technology and Society

Spaceplanes

9 Comments

DARPA has announced the winning teams for XS-1. I’m not surprised by Masten/XCOR. They’ve been collaborating for years. I have no inside info, but I wouldn’t be shocked if there’s an acquisition or merger at some point. The NG/Virgin alliance is no surprise, either, given that Northrop owns Scaled. The Boeing/Blue team is more interesting to me. I wonder if it’s away for Boeing to try to become more entrepreneurial?

Media Criticism, Political Commentary, Space, Technology and Society, War Commentary

US-China Space Cooperation

1 Comment

A point/counterpoint between Michael Listner and Joan Johnson-Freese. I’m not a big fan of China cooperation myself (a dispute I have with Buzz), but this is probably the best argument I’ve seen for it:

Wolf’s rationale assumes the United States has nothing to gain by working with the Chinese. On the contrary, the United States could learn about how they work — their decision-making processes, institutional policies and standard operating procedures. This is valuable information in accurately deciphering the intended use of dual-use space technology, long a weakness and so a vulnerability in U.S. analysis. Working together on an actual project where people confront and solve problems together, perhaps beginning with a space science or space debris project where both parties can contribute something of value, builds trust on both sides, trust that is currently severely lacking. It also allows each side to understand the other’s cultural proclivities, reasoning and institutional constraints with minimal risk of technology sharing.

If it’s the current NASA cooperating with China, I’m not much worried about technology sharing, either, since NASA’s not allowed to spend much money on useful technology. I just think that cooperation with China (or anyone, really) is an unnecessary distraction from actually doing things in space. But the Congress isn’t really interested in that. It just wants to build big rockets. I certainly wouldn’t put any other country, whether China or even in Europe, on the critical path to anything.

Media Criticism, Philosophy, Political Commentary, Social Commentary

Libertarianism

1 Comment

What it isn’t:

…journalists cover complex things they don’t know about all the time, and this is usually okay because they research and talk to people who do know about it.

Unless, of course, they’re writing about libertarians.

Not only do you not have to know the first thing about libertarianism to cover it for major news outlets, it is perfectly fine to a) decline to ask anybody who does know, b) make up your own version of what it is, and then c) lament the terribleness of this terrible philosophy or people you have just created. Cases in point: approximately every 10th article published by Salon, this piece by Damon Linker at The Week.

A lot of people seem to have difficulty with the concept of liberty.

Media Criticism, Political Commentary, Social Commentary

If You Oppose Administration Policies

35 Comments

…you just might be racist.

My response:

[Update Tuesday morning]

The nation’s chief law-enforcement officer is trying to spark racial hatred:

For most, this is a joke. The meme that the bipartisan notion of “taking the country back” is somehow racist was long ago debunked. As the brief history lesson above demonstrates, however, no one is listening to this nonsense beyond the cult of true believers. Those for who racism is a religion – ubiquitous and unfalsifiable – nod in agreement at Holder’s self-aggrandizement. All others roll their eyes.

It is natural and right to be incensed over the attorney general’s statement here, but a 30,000 foot view suggests there is even more reason to take heart in his remarks. Only those liberals [sic] Democrats the party desperately needs to turn out in the fall are inspired by this rhetoric; that desperate need is met with increasingly desperate tactics. A glance at the polls suggests it will not be successful.

Let’s hope.

[Update a few minutes later]

The real problem isn’t racial animus, but Eric Holder’s animus toward his critics.

[Bumped]

Biting Commentary about Infinity…and Beyond!