Project Constellation Suit: NASA Terminates Contract with Oceaneering Int'l, Inc.

[Carrickagh]

deleted per request <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[aphh]

The whole endeavour of getting to the Moon by NASA is starting to look like a farce. I wouldn't be suprised, if they called the whole thing off in about 2012 as non-doable.

 

[JonClarke]

<p style="margin:0cm0cm0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt"><font color="#800080">http://www.space-travel.com/reports/Oceaneering_Will_Resubmit_Constellation_Space_Suit_Proposal_999.html</font></span></font></p><p style="margin:0cm0cm0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"></font></p><p style="margin:0cm0cm0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt">Hopefully this time they will do it right.&nbsp; nothing against current suit manufactures but new ideas and&nbsp; approaches are always valuable.</span></font></p><p style="margin:0cm0cm0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"></font></p><p style="margin:0cm0cm0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt">Compliance issues may seem like beaurocratic shilly-shallying but it is important for all parties to do it right.&nbsp; It protects everyone further down the track.</span></font></p><p style="margin:0cm0cm0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"></font></p><p style="margin:0cm0cm0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size:12pt">Jon</span></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[JonClarke]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Well, what was initially called "Apollo on steroids" is beginning to look more like "Apollo with Bulimia." Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'></p><p>The so called problems of Constellation are the same issues that happen with every big project.&nbsp; Apollo was the same, the A380 was the same, no doubt the pyramid builders had their own version.&nbsp; Even the critics haven't changed.</p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>&nbsp;I for one would like to see NASA out of manned spaceflight. I say this more out of frustration than anything else. The politicians are tepid and have been since around July 21 1969. If we shut it down, might that prompt the commercial side to step up? </DIV></p><p>If NASA "got out" of human space flight we would be left with Russian and Chinese human space flight and suborbtial space tourism.&nbsp; Commerical spaceflight happens only if there is money to be made.&nbsp; Which is how it works now.&nbsp; Spacecraft and space services are supplied to NASA by companies.&nbsp; However companies won't pay for sending people to the Moon or Mars because they can't made a direct profit from it.</p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'> But I think the dollars would be better spent on robotic exploration (in which via the web everyone participates) and funding the other A in NASA, specifically aeronautics.&nbsp; <br />Posted by Carrickagh</DIV></p><p>Robotic exploration is already funded.&nbsp; And robots are very limited ways of exploring planets.&nbsp; We need scientists on the surface of the Moon, Mars, asteroids and beyond if we are to study them properly, let alone develop their resources.&nbsp; Unmanned spacecraft are best used for the simple routine tasks (remote sensing), in areas far too dangerous for humans (the surface of Venus), or where technology isn't ripe for sending people (Titan).&nbsp; So NASA must continue to fund human missions.</p><p>Aeronautics?&nbsp; That is funded too.&nbsp; And industry pays for more.</p><p>Jon<br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>