NASA spends $400,000 to $4 Million a year on parties

[yorktown]

A CBS NEWS ARTICLE AND VIDEO REPORT states that NASA has parties after every launch. Each party costs $400,000-$500,000 for a 5 day/4 night event at 4 star resorts ... all-inclusive. These expensive parties are also included as part of the NASA budget.<br /><br />I was shocked.......<br /><br />

 

[rybanis]

Yeah, saw this on Slashdot today.<br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" / <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[brellis]

Since my tax dollars contribute to these orgies, I expect an invite! <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br />Seriouserly, these launches are a big deal, and they deserve a little celebration. Sure, they should cut down the extravagance a bit. $4 million is like half an hour in Iraq. Let's trim that part of our outlays too! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="2" color="#ff0000"><em><strong>I'm a recovering optimist - things could be better.</strong></em></font> </p> </div>

 

[webtaz99]

You think NASA doesn't have its own version of black projects and black budgets? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[bobw]

I don't know much about it, but when I read shuttle_guy's posts about processing it seems like a lot of those contractors don't get any days off during the normal flow. It starts off with like 6 contingency days then something happens and it is down to 4 and pretty soon they've been working 24/7 hoping to get a holiday off and that doesn't work out either.<br /><br />At $600 a head, they probably make that much money in a few days anyway, it really might be a worthwhile expense morale-wise. They probably talk a lot of shop, too.<br /><br />I guess I'm on the fence since I don't know the actual circumstances but I am certainly not enraged by it. CBS probably spun it some, too. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[usn_skwerl]

they said there were about 300 guests. 400 grand or so to feed and house 300 guests for 4 days isnt TERRIBLE. average of about $1,100 or so per person, and $250-300 per person per day....<br /><br />I'm kind of torn on whether to be happy or frustrated about the whole issue. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[bobblebob]

I wonder how much these figures have been exagerated by the media?

 

[3488]

A lot I expect bobblebob. More likely the true figure is very much less.<br /><br />I agree with Brad. A launch IS a big deal, & every successful one MUST be recognised <br />with a celebration.<br /><br />The launch teams work bloody hard to ensure that the crew is safe (if crewed), the vehicle is safe <br />& that the spectators are safe & get a good view to boot.<br /><br />I must admit the joy I had when Phoenix & DAWN were launched, along with the safe launches of<br />the STS to the ISS.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[bobw]

When it said "300 honorees and their guest." I thought it meant 300 + 300 spouses. That makes it closer to the part with "There's a reception to feed 750".<br /><br />Didn't you ever work for a place where after a rough week with 18+ hour days they gave you a few days off with pay? It happens in the private sector all the time. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[usn_skwerl]

but the private companies are paying, not the general public. <br /><br />and it's usually done, in my experience, with pizza parties. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[bobw]

Yes, but people are people. You can't just work people 7 days a week and then hand them big exploding bolts and stuff saying "you got your overtime pay for it." Money doesn't compensate for not having a life.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong, if the party turns out to be for the bean counters then I think that sux. If it is for the people who actually do the work then I think it is a valid use of discretionary funds. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[billslugg]

If 300 NASA folks are being feted, there is a problem. A whole lot of NASA employees got left out of the festivities. In my plant we spent $27,000 on donuts one year. But those were for the floor sweepers and broke haulers at 6:45AM team meetings celebrating someone's 25th year without an injury. Money well spent. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[bobblebob]

"In my plant we spent $27,000 on donuts"<br /><br />I want to work there <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" />

 

[bobblebob]

Out of interest what is the average pay for Nasa engineers and technical staff? After seeing the advert a few weeks ago for people to join the Astronaut training program, i was surprised to see their pay isnt brilliant, considering the job they do <br /><br />Also, do they have a post landing party, as clearly a post launch party will not include 7 of the most important Nasa staff

 

[usn_skwerl]

astronauts, as military, make little more than 40 or 50k a year. <br /><br />the NASA employees (excluding military astronauts, of course) make a lot more than that, I'm willing to bet. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[billslugg]

boblebob<br /><br />Well, we had 1650 employees. That is $16 per person per year on donuts. I would guess that there was about one party per month per team. It could have been a production record or a safety record or a guy celebrating 20 years employment. As a despised manager, I recognized that the guy with his face in the U-drain, scraping scum is also is the guy who knows what items are going down the drain. I would go in at 0430 and strain the sumps. The hourly scraper arrived to dump his stuff. What you got there? Lets look at it. I found the same part broken in the same spot. Investigation of drawings showed an improper weld symbol. Million dollars saved. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[Boris_Badenov]

<font color="yellow">they said there were about 300 guests ..... average of about $1,100 or so per person, and $250-300 per person per day </font><br /><br />Another poster said they thought there would be spouses too, there would be some older children as well.<br />I have worked in restaurants, 5 Star Hotels & Convention Centers. If these prices include the room they are Ramada Inn prices. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#993300"><span class="body"><font size="2" color="#3366ff"><div align="center">. </div><div align="center">Never roll in the mud with a pig. You'll both get dirty & the pig likes it.</div></font></span></font> </div>

 

[Boris_Badenov]

In the early 80's I got laid off from the hotel I worked in & took a job as a spotter on a trenching machine for the summer.<br />Summer in Phoenix is murder, so they'd set up a canvas pavilion tent at each job site with a couple 10 foot tall industrial evap coolers to take breaks in.<br />At the end of each week we'd gather there to pick up our paychecks & the bosses would supply giant sub sandwiches, soda & beer. <br />Maybe it cost them $300. X 52 weeks = $15,600 per year.<br />It was just a cost of business to them, & they payed it happily to keep good employees happy. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#993300"><span class="body"><font size="2" color="#3366ff"><div align="center">. </div><div align="center">Never roll in the mud with a pig. You'll both get dirty & the pig likes it.</div></font></span></font> </div>

 

[brellis]

<font color="yellow">but the private companies are paying, not the general public. </font><br /><br />You can be sure those companies deduct the cost from their taxes, so we're all involved in some way. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="2" color="#ff0000"><em><strong>I'm a recovering optimist - things could be better.</strong></em></font> </p> </div>

 

[space_tycoon]

Well, look at the big picture. Most of these guys probably didn't get to party much in university and highschool-- what with all the studying and accomplishing and stuff-- so why not make up for it later? <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[yorktown]

In my days as a chemist, we found that food is the best way to win over a scientist or engineer. So out came the sweets. Meetings to show off products had donuts and cakes. It got bodies in the room, and attention. So, donuts has its place in terms of performance.<br /><br />A party is entirely another issue. If a private company wants to spend money on a party, that's their decision.<br /><br />Pop.com some years back spent $10 million on a party in Las Vegas in which they got The Who to play. As far as I was concerned, that was their decision and their financial stupidity. Not surprisingly. the company went belly up.<br /><br />Public institutions however, claiming 'desperate need of funds,' should not be throwing parties, especially lavish ones over 5 day periods. It certainly sends the wrong message to the taxpayers. This could tick off ALOT of people. NASA's chief should seriously rethink their strategy here. <br /><br />I've been several times to Cape Canaveral and JPL in CA. I have friends in both institutions and I know how hard they work. They deserve a break and a pat on the back. <br /><br />I also run trade shows for a living. They are paying a VERY expensive bill. The costs are high, nomatter how you look at it.<br /><br />There are programs desperate to involve themselves with Nasa projects that can't due to the tightness of funds. $4 Million certainly helps towards that end and should not be spent on parties. If you're a public institution, that's the way it is supposed to be. Now the cat is out of the bag. The public won't stand for it. <br /><br />Here's a better question....Lets look at this from a time warp perspective. What did Mission Control and all the other Cape Canaveral men and women do after the Apollo launches of the 1960's and 1970's. Were there parties like this? I seriously doubt it. If there were, and they were paid for with public funds, then I stand corrected.<br /><br />Anyone out there from NASA from the 'hero' days of t

 

[billslugg]

Was there anybody in Titusville during that first launch who was unaware? Maybe a gutter drunk on his tenth liter of Apfelsaft? The pounding pushed your chest in and out. No mistaking it. A Moon shot just happened.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[usn_skwerl]

I dont think anyone in Florida was unaware of the first attempts, except maybe points west of pensacola <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[usn_skwerl]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>I've been several times to Cape Canaveral and JPL in CA. I have friends in both institutions and I know how hard they work. They deserve a break and a pat on the back. <br /><p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />It's probably a stupid question, but with all the rocket scientists at NASA, but are there any actual, bona fide blue-collar jobs, aside from the greasers servicing the crawler tracks on the MLP, or the dudes that paint the launch towers after launches? <br /><br />What kind of parties are they getting? <br /><br />Higher paid people, as it is, get all kinds of breaks. Tax breaks, all expense paid banquets, etc. <br /><br />If it wasn't for the ground pounders of the world; the grease monkeys, wrench turners covered in hydraulic fluid, busted knuckles and updog, nothing would get done. Do they get 400,000 dollar parties after <b>EVERY LAUNCH?</b> or a couple stacks of pizza boxes on a toolbox and a 'thanks!'? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[vogon13]

$4 mill for a nice application of the Hawthorne effect in a budget of 10+ billion seems like a real deal to me . . . <br /><br /><br />{and for folks that don't know what the Hawthorne effect is, perhaps they need to reflect on their opinions }<br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>