Griffin press conference on right now

[wvbraun]

Watch NASA TV now.

 

[grooble]

Mars for same price as Apollo but spread over a longer time line. Sounds good, i actually believe it's gonna happen.

 

[henryhallam]

This guy is very likeable.<br /><br />Regarding a question asked earlier during the press conference, Griffin said that the survivability of tile repairs was an unknown. Will any pre-repaired tiles be tested during entry on STS-114? Is there anywhere they could be mounted for testing, anyway?

 

[larper]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Regarding a question asked earlier during the press conference, Griffin said that the survivability of tile repairs was an unknown. Will any pre-repaired tiles be tested during entry on STS-114? Is there anywhere they could be mounted for testing, anyway? <p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br />Couldn't they do such a test using a cheaper launcher with a recoverable experiment module? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Vote </font><font color="#3366ff">Libertarian</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[larper]

Well, there you go then. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Vote </font><font color="#3366ff">Libertarian</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[larper]

As a followup, though, will there ever be a test of actually applying a patch in space? Ground testing can only simulate so much, I would think. Nothing like actually doing it in orbit during an EVA, bringing the results back down, then testing the patch in the arc jet. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Vote </font><font color="#3366ff">Libertarian</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[larper]

/*reads entire post indicated, slaps forehead*/ <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Vote </font><font color="#3366ff">Libertarian</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[henryhallam]

Okay, thanks for the information. Of course I didn't mean flight-test them in place of good tiles, rather mount them as "extras" somewhere where they'd feel the re-entry conditions without actually being needed to protect anything. But I suppose there isn't anywhere like that they could be mounted, and I imagine some combination of arcjets and pressure-testing can adequately recreate the conditions.

 

[anoolios]

I just watched the conference with Michael Griffin, this is the first time I've seen the guy and I have to say I'm <i>very</i> impressed. He seems a humble, open minded, and broadly intelligent individual. He even referred to the Planetary Society mars report as his best knowledge on the subject of manned mission to Mars, wow! I think this bodes well for NASA.

 

[gofer]

Watched it (missed about 15 minutes). Even though I still disagree with some of Mike's notions (like the SD HLV he's contemplating), I must admit, he does show promise. Doesn't seem to prevaricate. Doesn't sound like a weasely type, although perhaps, a political weasel is what NASA requires these days (note the alarm-sounding questions from various NASA centers, concerned with potential job losses). Wish him luck, nevertheless.

 

[gofer]

(my IMHO is: THIS is the last chance NASA has got as far as manned spaceflight, if it screws up this time - get rid of it with all of its god-knows-what-they-are-working-on centers and whatnot, maybe by that time the Private sector gets going (crossing fingers)))

 

[toymaker]

Did he mentioned next generation telescopes or exoplanets found or just concentrated on manned exploration ?

 

[wvbraun]

The VSE includes plans for new exoplanet-telescopes if that's what you're driving at...