quoted 6 lines The problem is that NASA has developed an entrenched bureaucracy just
>The problem is that NASA has developed an entrenched bureaucracy just
>like virtually every other program of the federal government. Get more
>competitive private sector involvement in aerospace programs and we'll.
>see lower costs and greater gains. It's sad to see that the NASA that
>(purportedly) put men on the moon in the 60s has become a second-rate
>space cargo courier, little better than a glorified Postal Service.
Actually, the involvement of private industry may be exactly the problem.
"<...> Lockheed, as part of the $3 billion+ contract with NASA, is responsible for providing end-to-end space operations support for NASA missions, including the Space Shuttle and International Space Station, mission operations and planning systems design, development, and integration. To minimize costs, Lockheed has implemented a "Storefront" program to set up facilities on or near selected university campuses where students are hired to perform software engineering and other related work under the supervision of CSOC. <...>"
http://www.vmware.com/news/releases/lockheed.html
NASA has a long and ongoing relationship with Lockheed-Martin and other defense contractors whose interests may be more in the bottom line than actually protecting the people they send up and ensuring scientific progress that is more research-oriented and less profit-oriented. For things such as space travel that require less cost-cutting and do not have an immediate profit-related motive, my opinion is that the private sector is less appropriate.
But then again, I'm not a big fan of privatization to begin with.
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