A Presidential Commission is recommending the de-bureaucratisation of NASA. Cutting to the chase, the salient points of the recommendation are:
1. NASA centers be spun off as Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC). The Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., commonly misidentified as a NASA field center, is actually an FFRDC managed by the California Institute of Technology.It's not a bad thing. Yet, the problem will be how willing NASA would be to crawl out of the 'Aerospace is the big work-for-the-dole scheme for us all' mentality as observed by Susan Faludi in her book, 'Stiffed'.
2. NASA allow the private industry "to assume the primary role of providing services to NASA, and most immediately in accessing low-Earth orbit."
3. NASA and Congress work together to create three new organizations within the space agency: a technical advisory board, a independent cost estimating organization, and a research and technology organization that sponsors high risk technology development efforts.
- Art Neuro
5 comments:
It's when such sweeping changes are made. Resisted by reactionaries. That I'm proudest of my conservative bretheren.
Mr Weasel! It's not like the status uo is any good after losing 2 out of 5 space shuttle, having invested the last 25 years' worth of budgets on it. It's high tide for a review to see if NASA is still up to the challenges that lie ahead.
Resisting it for the sake of being reactionary is nothing but standing the in the way of the rason d'etre of NASA. Metaphorically speaking, heads SHOULD roll.
So we agree : )
Carter's administration brought in the shuttles after Nixon began the project after detroying the old rocket dyes. Carter had been advised as to the shortcomings of the leo shuttle, but bought the compromise so that launch would happen during his administration.
Carter's manipulation didn't save the Presidency.
Then Reagan had the Challenger disaster to contend with. It was too late to change horses.
Clinton decided to delay improvements.
The Columbia disaster forced President Bush to bring forward plans already on his table.
Point being that it is political, and the laggards aint the conservatives. :;)
I'd say both sides have failed to make things work. I'm not absolving the US Democrats of anything: they started the Aerospace Industry as an elaborate work-for-the-dole scheme; they can't duck away from the responsibility that these things don't work properly.
OTOH, the Conservatives can't duck the responsibility of having been in a position to restructure NASA and haven't done so. This recommendation is the first time it's even seriously been broached. Now I don't think you could put it down to partisan politics the way you like to do with everything. They both have sucked, do suck and if they don't do anything, will continue to suck. Having a Republican Party badge alone isn't going to 'get it done'.
Sorry Mr. Weasel, I think I was a little strident there when clearly you've flagged that we agree. My apologies. I get carried away with what I'm thinking sometimes. My Bad. :(
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