Bush Space Initiative (if Leak True)

Follow the money. The supposed plan calls for increasing
NASA's budget from $15.5 billion to $20 billion over a five
year period. The only actual new program mentioned is the
new crew exploration vehicle (CEV), which will probably take
up nearly all of the extra funding during that time. So,
to me, this looks like a plan to develop a CEV that *could*,
if the president after Bush wanted it to (and if China's
program seemed to be progressing enough to threaten U.S.
prestige), be used in a new lunar program (that would require
more funding). The humans to Mars part seems like something
the president after the president after the next president
might deal with, if she wanted to.

This is a plan with a series of focused, progressive goals,
which is a very good thing. The risk is that the moon
part will still have to be sold later to Congress. Either
NASA's share of the budget will have to grow or it will at
least have to stay at the new level indefinitely. If
China doesn't hold up its end of the bargin, the US could
end up with only CEV and a stake in a old leaky space
station.

- Ed Kyle

"ed kyle" wrote in message
om...
Follow the money. The supposed plan calls for increasing
NASA's budget from $15.5 billion to $20 billion over a five
year period. The only actual new program mentioned is the
new crew exploration vehicle (CEV), which will probably take
up nearly all of the extra funding during that time. So,
to me, this looks like a plan to develop a CEV that *could*,
if the president after Bush wanted it to (and if China's
program seemed to be progressing enough to threaten U.S.
prestige), be used in a new lunar program (that would require
more funding). The humans to Mars part seems like something
the president after the president after the next president
might deal with, if she wanted to.

The CEV is just as capsule. Are you insane? Spending $20 billion for the
development of a capsule?

"Dr. O" dr.o@xxxxx wrote in message ...
"ed kyle" wrote in message
om...
Follow the money. The supposed plan calls for increasing
NASA's budget from $15.5 billion to $20 billion over a five
year period. The only actual new program mentioned is the
new crew exploration vehicle (CEV), which will probably take
up nearly all of the extra funding during that time. So,
to me, this looks like a plan to develop a CEV that *could*,
if the president after Bush wanted it to (and if China's
program seemed to be progressing enough to threaten U.S.
prestige), be used in a new lunar program (that would require
more funding). The humans to Mars part seems like something
the president after the president after the next president
might deal with, if she wanted to.

The CEV is just as capsule. Are you insane? Spending $20 billion for the
development of a capsule?

The new funding only amounts to $14 billion over five years.
That is not much more than the costs discussed for developing
OSP. And CEV is not just a capsule. It is a completely new
human space transportation system - a system that will replace
the space shuttle program that cost more than $10 billion to
develop more than 20 years ago. It is flight hardware (a
capsule and one or more flight modules). It is a launch system,
or at least the adaptation of an existing launcher. It is test
and launch and recovery facilities. It is training and flight
control facilities. It is paychecks and office buildings.

- Ed Kyle

In article , Dr. O dr.o@xxxxx wrote:
The CEV is just as capsule. Are you insane? Spending $20 billion for the
development of a capsule?

That is probably what it would take, for today's NASA supported by today's
NASA contractors in a business-as-usual project.
--
MOST launched 30 June; science observations running | Henry Spencer
since Oct; first surprises seen; papers pending. |

"ed kyle" wrote in message
om...
"Dr. O" dr.o@xxxxx wrote in message
...
"ed kyle" wrote in message
om...
Follow the money. The supposed plan calls for increasing
NASA's budget from $15.5 billion to $20 billion over a five
year period. The only actual new program mentioned is the
new crew exploration vehicle (CEV), which will probably take
up nearly all of the extra funding during that time. So,
to me, this looks like a plan to develop a CEV that *could*,
if the president after Bush wanted it to (and if China's
program seemed to be progressing enough to threaten U.S.
prestige), be used in a new lunar program (that would require
more funding). The humans to Mars part seems like something
the president after the president after the next president
might deal with, if she wanted to.

The CEV is just as capsule. Are you insane? Spending $20 billion for the
development of a capsule?

The new funding only amounts to $14 billion over five years.
That is not much more than the costs discussed for developing
OSP. And CEV is not just a capsule. It is a completely new
human space transportation system - a system that will replace
the space shuttle program that cost more than $10 billion to
develop more than 20 years ago. It is flight hardware (a
capsule and one or more flight modules). It is a launch system,
or at least the adaptation of an existing launcher. It is test
and launch and recovery facilities. It is training and flight
control facilities. It is paychecks and office buildings.


The last sentence is the most telling.

You should add that it's also a floor wax AND a desert topping.

The thing hasn't even been built yet, let alone specced and it's doing all
these things? Wow.

For $14 Billion, we could dust off the plans for the Apollo CSM/LM
combination, launch components a Shuttle and a pair of Delta or Atlas
Heavies, do EOR, and and fly a mission or two a year and still probably come
in under budget.


- Ed Kyle

Follow the money. The supposed plan calls for increasing
NASA's budget from $15.5 billion to $20 billion over a five
year period. The only actual new program mentioned is the

Give 20 billion to scaled composites. By 2020 Mars will be
suceeding from the union as an independent state.

"Scott Moore" wrote in message
news:RVOLb.12729$nt4.24847@attbi_s51...
Follow the money. The supposed plan calls for increasing
NASA's budget from $15.5 billion to $20 billion over a five
year period. The only actual new program mentioned is the

Give 20 billion to scaled composites. By 2020 Mars will be
suceeding from the union as an independent state.

LOL! I think you might just be right there.

"ed kyle" wrote in message
om...
"Dr. O" dr.o@xxxxx wrote in message
...
"ed kyle" wrote in message
om...
Follow the money. The supposed plan calls for increasing
NASA's budget from $15.5 billion to $20 billion over a five
year period. The only actual new program mentioned is the
new crew exploration vehicle (CEV), which will probably take
up nearly all of the extra funding during that time. So,
to me, this looks like a plan to develop a CEV that *could*,
if the president after Bush wanted it to (and if China's
program seemed to be progressing enough to threaten U.S.
prestige), be used in a new lunar program (that would require
more funding). The humans to Mars part seems like something
the president after the president after the next president
might deal with, if she wanted to.

The CEV is just as capsule. Are you insane? Spending $20 billion for the
development of a capsule?

The new funding only amounts to $14 billion over five years.
That is not much more than the costs discussed for developing
OSP. And CEV is not just a capsule. It is a completely new
human space transportation system

No it's not! It's just a capsule bolted onto a Delta 5, damn it! And a
capsule is simply a metal cyllinder with a couple of chairs, a heatshield
and a life support system inside, plus some small rockets. Kids stuff.

"Scott Moore" wrote in message
news:RVOLb.12729$nt4.24847@attbi_s51...
Follow the money. The supposed plan calls for increasing
NASA's budget from $15.5 billion to $20 billion over a five
year period. The only actual new program mentioned is the

Give 20 billion to scaled composites. By 2020 Mars will be
suceeding from the union as an independent state.
Nope, you would be simply creating another L&M or Boeing.

-kert

(ed kyle) :

NASA and its contractors aren't going to build this
thing in a garage. And they aren't going to house
their staff in trailers.

Why not? It worked for Henry Ford, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, HP, The Wright
Brothers, and too many others to count. DC-X was flown from trailers, ROTON
used a old hanger, Armadillo AeroSpace a garage(?). Why do you need whole
new buildings before you can build a capsule?

Earl Colby Pottinger


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