wrote:
Keep in mind: many of those who want ESAS trashed want NASA to revert
to NACA-esque "assitance only." Which means NASA wouldn't be doing
*any* such space probes. Only a small amount of research to help
companies that wanted to make their own probes.

Yes, there is that extreme...just as there is also a range of Christian
views with Pat Robertson off on one edge, and different Republican
viewpoints, and Maoists that the PRC considers extreme.

But if you want NASA to contribute solid science of any sort, then ESAS
is a threat. If you want also NASA to develop ways of working in
space, or figuring out what can be done with moondust, then using its
limited money developing Yet Another Launcher seems to hinder those
goals.

Many people who think that CEV is a step forward also think SDHLV is 2
steps back.

/dps