NASA Dawn Asteroid Mission Told to "Stand Back Up", Reinstated! Options

[dvandorn]

Just 'cause I said I would...

Hopefully, though, this whole episode has made its point -- NASA isn't afraid to tell overbudget missions to stand down.

I just *really* wish we could get the magnetometer back on the beastie, though...

-the other Doug

[monitorlizard]

Without trying to provoke anger, I think Dawn was reinstated only because it is an international mission.
The US isn't on the best of terms with Europe in space cooperation, given the number of unilateral
things we've done on international missions (remember our half of the DUAL spacecraft Ulysses mission?).
After the significant science descope AND cost overrun of Dawn, I felt it might be a good life lesson
for Discovery participants for the mission to be cancelled. But the German and Italian contributors
would be understandably angered by that, so its good for international relations to keep Dawn alive.
But it's not a good precident for the future of the Discovery program. Not trying to offent anyone here.

[tedstryk]

(remember our half of the DUAL spacecraft Ulysses mission?).

Given precedent such as Ulysses, I don't think this is the motivation in and of itself. I think a lot of it may have been due to how much of the cost is "sunk."