Waiting for Norm (Update)

Note to the policy makers: Consider the effect on morale of the workers by putting off a decision. It's hard to go to meetings on Ares I when you know it's dying. Put it out of its misery quickly, as opposed to a slow death.

08.24.2009 - The committee is at work writing the final report and completing some parametric performance calculations needed so that we can more fully address our task. The options proposed are unchanged from what was discussed in the final public session. As previously reported, a briefing was held at the White House on August 14 regarding those options. The original plan was to have a printed report ready by mid-September; however, because of the length of the report it may require an additional two weeks before final release.

Seems to me this delay is just part of the gamesmanship, or should I say brinksmanship, with congress. Lot's of big national issues at stake and you have to wonder if NASA is in play as a bargaining chip. Oh, silly me, I forget. We don't buy or sell votes in this country do we...

Lets see with health/insurance reform and the climate change on the White House front burner for September, anyone want to guess how much priority will be given to these decisions? Take your time Norm; October is a great month to make space policy!

Another Insider said: "Note to the policy makers: Consider the effect on morale of the workers by putting off a decision. It's hard to go to meetings on Ares I when you know it's dying. Put it out of its misery quickly, as opposed to a slow death."

Morale? What's that? I think it fled a long time ago.

While Constellation workers stay the course, waiting for some kind of results, millions of dollars and thousands of laborhours are spent on designs and concepts that won't ever fly.

Better yet, the workers can watch their managers back slowly down the aisle towards the exit with the last parachutes, the managers telling them, "Just stay the course! Keep on doing good work! What you're doing is valuable!"

The floggings will continue until morale improves!

The Augustine Commission delay is a convenient excuse for NASA. A longer delay will move the Augusine Commission report delivery closer to the planned launch of Ares 1-X in October, thereby giving the Administration less time to decide to halt the launch. The longer the delay, the better are the odds that Ares 1-X will fly while the politicians fiddle. If the Adminstration does not issue orders to halt Ares 1-X, then NASA will surely launch it.

Halt Ares I-X? Possibily. But you do realize that it costs more to halt or cancel the launch than to just let'er rip. Gone it a three minute blaze of glory or several months of taking it back to bits.

The "commercial space" thing (without the traditional NASA hsf thorough & detailed oversight) has some glitches compared to a DOD report going to congress.

The panel "industry experts", especially Bo the Greybeard, may appear mighty foolish on the commercial space thing compared to the DOD outsourcing report:

Outsourcing: Where Will You Draw the Line?
http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/cs/2009/08/outsourcing_where_will_you_dra.html

Although somebody could counter that the quality of the NASA oversighters significantly matters too (CxP flunkies vs. Shuttle).

For whatever the new program chosen is, the counter response would be to recruit the best Shuttle workers USA contractors and former NASA HSF personnel (especially the over-45ers previously runoff in the last few years & those riffed during the 90s better-faster-cheaper Goldin days.

Starting to think that Buzz & similar folks are enjoying palling around with the rich & famous celebs (Branson, Musk, etc.) too much, drinking the glitz & glam koolaid, and just aren't thinking clearly.

Plus, republicans with a chip about Shuttle, because the disasters happened on their watch, seem to want very much to pass off blame for future disasters to a contractor rather than hold themselves accountable for right decision & best management practices.

Don't know how many embedded former Republican congressional staff & the like are now in the NASA ranks, especially in DC, but think they need to be herded into a special projects group - maybe in Alaska or Antartica - & keep them busy with "designing" some space junk cleanup policy & programs & reassign the current CxP mgmt & workforce to that project as well!)

Seeing as the report will be delayed and this might create better odds for the Ares to launch I would get it on the pad ASAP. Get it out there, the news crews will be all over it! Get as much coverage as possible on of now while you can so it will be harder for anyone to cancel it if it's already on the pad!!

One thing worth noting is the NSC review of space policy that is ongoing in the background. The Augustine Commission has a more visible role, but a much more limited mandate. In conjunction with the NSC review, there may be some powerful options available, but it should be no great suprise if nothing comes to the fore quickly.

Maybe they're re-reviewing the various Options' cost estimates?

Space Exploration Cost Overestimated, Study Finds
http://www.thenewamerican.com/index.php/tech-mainmenu-30/space/1790