Sun sets on "Dawn"

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n_kitson

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Looks like Dawn has just been canned as well (link), at least that's what an "indefinite postponement means to me". So, another $40MM in funds available for the CEV.<br /><br />Guess we'll have to wait till CEV retirement in at least 30 years time to see Ceres up close. Hopefully a Ceres-type rock doesn't decide to come visit us before then...
 
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yurkin

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Dawn is so far along that I doubt indefinite will mean forever. Phoenix is built around a disused mars lander. I think Dawn is going to get rolled over to the next round of Discovery class missions. I think the next round of discover mission are set to launch in 2010. <br /><br />Its still a big disappointment as far as I’m concerned.<br />
 
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spacester

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The mission was overbudget and appears to have poor fiscal discipline. There's a new Sheriff in town; you can't just go over budget and get bailed out.<br /><br />THIS MONEY WILL NOT GO TO CEV. It will not get transferred to the Human Spaceflight budget . . . Keith Cowing and others need to dig into this issue a little deeper and quit calling Mike Griffin a liar.<br /><br />The thing is, my first love in spaceflight is the potential of Asteroids, and I was *really* looking forward to this mission. I'm not mad at Dr. Griffin, I'm mad at Orbital Sciences (IIRC) for blowing their budget. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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yurkin

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The Discovery class missions are a vestige of faster, better, cheaper. <br />A 300 million budget is simply unrealistic for Messenger and Dawn. Fewer missions but more expensive our the way to go.<br />
 
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josh_simonson

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Spacedev is working on their NEAP spacecraft for missions like this, perhaps that'll get a better chance to fly with dawn floundering.
 
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mikejz

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I have to say the I am disappointed we have not had a program to build a single spacecraft design and launch a flotilla of them to examine different asteroids. <br /><br />It really seems like the sort of mission that would benefit from a common design.
 
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mikejz

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I have to say the I am disappointed we have not had a program to build a single spacecraft design and launch a flotilla of them to examine different asteroids. <br /><br />It really seems like the sort of mission that would benefit from a common design.
 
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n_kitson

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I'd like to believe that. However, a near completely build spacecraft that seems to be only 10% over budget is getting indefinitely postponed? Sounds fairly final.<br /><br />What options are available to store this spacecraft, retain the talent and knowledge and launch in a few years? How does a delay affect the journey time to Ceres?
 
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n_kitson

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I kind of agree with your sentiment: contractors (primarily on manned spaceflight and a bit on unmanned too) have learnt that Nasa will just keep paying and paying. By stopping the project NASA is sending a clear message: promise what you can deliver. <br /><br />With the erosion of unmanned funds, that discipline is going to be needed. However, I'm really, really disappointed that it is Dawn that an example is being made of.
 
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john_316

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I don't know how long "DAWN" will be canned but if NASA is getting to a point where it has to justify funds and on time requirments they may have to at least concede that some programs are over-budget and behind schedule and cut and run while they can before more money is lost enroute.<br /><br />I personally am not against this but sometimes you do have to wake up and smell the coffee... <br /><br />Where is my product and why is it late or why is it costing more than I orginally am paying? Why do these cost over-runs seem a little suspicious to me? What factor made them go over the desired threshold? are just as much as questions as the questions we ask here.<br /><br />Don't feel bad, the USAF has a few Satellite projects that are getting canned because they are late, over budget, and just redundant systems to already existing systems.<br /><br />Though DAWN can't claim that. You have to make management and the people involved accountable for their projects. If they are allowed a 10 to 20% abience whats stopping other projects for requesting the same thing and woolah there goes money for CEV/HLV/Moon...<br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br />
 
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Philotas

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<font color="yellow">THIS MONEY WILL NOT GO TO CEV.</font><br /><br /><br />No, probably not, but if it wasn`t for the VSE, the budgets wouldn`t be this tight for unmanned spaceflight. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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najab

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Nope, the budgets would still be tight. TTBOMK, no money has actually been taken from the Space Science budget and specifically reallocated to HSF.
 
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Philotas

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Then the VSE isn`t that bad after all.. As long as it stays that way. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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spacester

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<font color="yellow">As long as it stays that way.</font><br /><br />It will as long as Mike Griffin is the boss. IMNSHO of course.<br /><br />I say that confidently because that's what the majority of his latest appearance before the House committee on Capitol Hill was all about. The pilfering from Space Science is over, thank goodness.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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spacester

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Dr. Griffin has essentially put the option of ending STS on the table for his bosses; it's not for him to decide. <br /><br />The White House is negotiating the next budget with Capitol Hill (right now I believe) - if these politicians want to end it, all they have to do is fail to come up with the $4 Billion needed to cover all the creative accounting of the past. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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erioladastra

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"to be only 10% over budget "<br /><br />But it was overbudget on the EASY stuff and there is a long way to go - the tea leaves did not bode well!
 
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