New Griffin Testimony

[radarredux]

The latest (18 May 05) testimony by Michael Griffin has been posted.<br />http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=16642<br /><br />Nothing dramatically new, but here are some of the take aways I found interesting.<br /><br /><b><font color="yellow">The Space Shuttle is an industry not a vehicle.</font>/b> The testimony included statistics on how large the Space Shuttle program is (e.g., 640 facilities, payroll supporting the equivalent of ~20,000 people, contractors spread across 43 states), etc.<br /><br /><b><font color="yellow">Transitioning away from the Space Shuttle will be a major challenge.</font>/b> As the previous numbers indicate, simply the logistics of switching efforts (managing people, facilities, equipment dedicated to the SS) is going to be a challenge. Griffin also acknowledged it will be a very "emotionally-charged" effort. In order to keep the last shuttle launch as safe as the first RTF, NASA must find a way to keep critical suppliers and personnel from jumping ship before that last launch.<br /><br /><b><font color="yellow">Griffin still likes a shuttle-derived solution.</font>/b> He reiterated the idea of using a SRB (originally mentioned in The Planetary Society's report) for launching a CEV into orbit. He also mentioned "Flight-proven Space Shuttle propulsion elements (including the Space Shuttle Main Engines, the Solid Rocket Boosters, and the External Tank, as well as some of the existing Space Shuttle infrastructure and workforce) will be carefully evaluated, as their use may enable more rapid development of crew and heavy lift capability". Obviously such solutions also address the problems mentioned in the previous item (e.g., keeping expertise and suppliers around through the last shuttle launch).<br /><br /><b><font color="yellow">ISS continues to be de-emphasized</font>/b> The number of flights needed to com</b></b></b></b>

 

[spacefire]

maybe the orbiter can be exchanged for a lifting body design <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[shuttle_rtf]

Griffin is what we call in the journalism world as "meaty" - and we like that!

 

[nacnud]

<img src="/images/icons/rolleyes.gif" /> /jk