NASA's Breakthrough Propulsion Physics project

NASA's Breakthrough Propulsion Physics project was shut down in January 2003
due to lack of funding. Why can't they look for funding elsewhere, like most
non profit agencies do. Does federal law require that all of NASA's funding
come from the federal budget?


--
"It's easy enough to be pleasant, when life hums along like a song.
But the man worth while is the man who can smile when
everything goes dead wrong.".

On Tue, 11 May 2004 20:02:00 GMT, in a place far, far away, "Bootstrap
Bill" made the phosphor on my monitor glow in
such a way as to indicate that:

NASA's Breakthrough Propulsion Physics project was shut down in January 2003
due to lack of funding. Why can't they look for funding elsewhere, like most
non profit agencies do. Does federal law require that all of NASA's funding
come from the federal budget?

Yes. If someone wants to fund this privately, they're free to do
so--no need to give money to NASA.

Does federal law require that all of NASA's funding
come from the federal budget?

Yes. If someone wants to fund this privately, they're free to do
so--no need to give money to NASA. BRBR


If I understand it correctly, individual Federal agencies cannot accept funding
in grants, loans, or donations: any such money (and there is some left in
people's wills) simply goes into the Treasury.

I worked on a study for MSFC in 2002 on future propulsion options in which we
strongly endorsed what is now Prometheus but pushed to keep funding the BPPP as
well. So much for NASA taking MY advice


Matt Bille
)
OPINIONS IN ALL POSTS ARE SOLELY THOSE OF THE AUTHOR

On 12 May 2004 03:11:15 GMT, in a place far, far away,
(MattWriter) made the phosphor on my monitor glow
in such a way as to indicate that:

Does federal law require that all of NASA's funding
come from the federal budget?

Yes. If someone wants to fund this privately, they're free to do
so--no need to give money to NASA.


If I understand it correctly, individual Federal agencies cannot accept funding
in grants, loans, or donations: any such money (and there is some left in
people's wills) simply goes into the Treasury.

I worked on a study for MSFC in 2002 on future propulsion options in which we
strongly endorsed what is now Prometheus but pushed to keep funding the BPPP as
well. So much for NASA taking MY advice

Yes, Stan Kent learned this the hard way a couple decades ago when he
raised money to try to extend the Viking mission. NASA was happy to
take his money, but could not guarantee that it would be spent in any
particular way.

"Rand Simberg" wrote in message
.. .

Yes, Stan Kent learned this the hard way a couple decades ago when he
raised money to try to extend the Viking mission. NASA was happy to
take his money, but could not guarantee that it would be spent in any
particular way.

I thought Congress ended up passing a bill to allow the money to go directly
to Viking in that case?

On Wed, 12 May 2004 03:29:19 GMT, in a place far, far away, "Greg D.
Moore \(Strider\)" made the phosphor
on my monitor glow in such a way as to indicate that:

Yes, Stan Kent learned this the hard way a couple decades ago when he
raised money to try to extend the Viking mission. NASA was happy to
take his money, but could not guarantee that it would be spent in any
particular way.

I thought Congress ended up passing a bill to allow the money to go directly
to Viking in that case?

I don't recall that, but then I don't recall many things from that
era. The point is that if Congress had to pass a law in order to
allow it in a particular case, it must, ipso facto, be illegal.

Rand Simberg wrote:

I thought Congress ended up passing a bill to allow the money to go directly
to Viking in that case?

I don't recall that, but then I don't recall many things from that
era.

Polyesther poisoning? Did those extra-wide lapels cut off blood flow to
the memory regions of the brain?

--
Scott Lowther, Engineer
Remove the obvious (capitalized) anti-spam
gibberish from the reply-to e-mail address

On Wed, 12 May 2004 03:51:33 GMT, in a place far, far away, Scott
Lowther made the phosphor on
my monitor glow in such a way as to indicate that:

I thought Congress ended up passing a bill to allow the money to go directly
to Viking in that case?

I don't recall that, but then I don't recall many things from that
era.

Polyesther poisoning? Did those extra-wide lapels cut off blood flow to
the memory regions of the brain?

No, I'm just getting old and senile.

"MattWriter" wrote in message
...
Does federal law require that all of NASA's funding
come from the federal budget?

Yes. If someone wants to fund this privately, they're free to do
so--no need to give money to NASA. BRBR


If I understand it correctly, individual Federal agencies cannot accept
funding
in grants, loans, or donations: any such money (and there is some left in
people's wills) simply goes into the Treasury.

I worked on a study for MSFC in 2002 on future propulsion options in which
we
strongly endorsed what is now Prometheus but pushed to keep funding the
BPPP as
well. So much for NASA taking MY advice

Ok... Could those involved with the project take the results of any research
done so far and form their own non profit agency to continue the research?

On Thu, 13 May 2004 21:38:18 GMT, in a place far, far away, "Bootstrap
Bill" made the phosphor on my monitor glow in
such a way as to indicate that:

Yes. If someone wants to fund this privately, they're free to do
so--no need to give money to NASA. BRBR


If I understand it correctly, individual Federal agencies cannot accept
funding
in grants, loans, or donations: any such money (and there is some left in
people's wills) simply goes into the Treasury.

I worked on a study for MSFC in 2002 on future propulsion options in which
we
strongly endorsed what is now Prometheus but pushed to keep funding the
BPPP as
well. So much for NASA taking MY advice

Ok... Could those involved with the project take the results of any research
done so far and form their own non profit agency to continue the research?

Sure, if they can raise the funds.