Alain Fournier wrote:

Derek Lyons wrote:

"Alan Erskine" wrote:

They're having all sorts of problems; is this kind of thing unusual in a
major program? I mean, to have this many problems this early (booster, CM
etc)...

It's not unusual at all - the capsule programs of the 60's had it just
as bad, as did the Shuttle. The difference it that because of the
'net the problems are visible to thousands of armchair engineers very
nearly in real time.

There is also the difference that in the sixties, those building space ships were
considered the cutting edge of engineering. Problems were considered normal.

Given the very tiny number of generations of craft flown, and the
constraints on the craft, and the extreme environments involved, and
the required performance...

They're still on the cutting edge.

Nowadays, people expect engineers to be able to re-solve the problems that
were already solved in the fifties and sixties without much difficulty.

People hold all manner of dammfool ignorant unfounded beliefs.

D.
--
Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh.

http://derekl1963.livejournal.com/

-Resolved: To be more temperate in my postings.
Oct 5th, 2004 JDL