LRO development |
LRO development |
May 2 2005, 01:31 AM
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Senior Member Group: Moderator Posts: 2262 Joined: 9-February 04 From: Melbourne - Oz Member No.: 16 |
Just read this interesting article about LRO
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/28apr_lro.htm QUOTE "This is the first in a string of missions," says Gordon Chin, project scientist for LRO at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. "More robots will follow, about one per year, leading up to manned flight" no later than 2020." One per Year? Is this just wishful thinking or have any tentitve plans been mentioned for follow up missions after LRO? If the next one is going to be 2009/10 then I guess some desisions about it will have to be made fairly soon. James -------------------- |
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May 29 2006, 02:58 AM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 172 Joined: 17-March 06 Member No.: 709 |
Here is the recent news, from NASAWatch, about changes in NASA's unmanned Moon program. NASA has decided to pull management responsibilty of this program from Ames and is awarding it to Marshall (MSFC). http://www.nasawatch.com/archives/2006/05/...yanks.html#more Also, if you follow the link to Horowitz' letter, you will see that the program name has been changed from RLEP to LPRP, the Lunar Precursor and Robotic Program. According to NASAWatch, this all came about because of political pressure from Sen. Shelby of Alabama, home of the MSFC. NASAWatch decries this political maneuvering, and I agree, up to a point. As I see it, NASA and its budget are part of the world of politics, whether we like it or not. NASA runs on money and those funds are provided by politicians. Politicians will always look to help their constituents. This brings us to the crux of this political game. Where are the Senators from California when it comes to space? As far as I can tell, they are missing in action. Has anyone ever seen Sen. Feinstein or Sen. Boxer at JPL for a Mars landing or for the arrival of Cassini at Saturn? Those spacecraft are often controlled and made at JPL in California. If Ames is getting projects pulled from it, then it is up to Senators Boxer and Feinstein to make their objections known. I predict we will not hear a peep from either Senator. Therefore, if Sen. Shelby takes an interest in NASA and influences some of its decisions, then hooray for him. He is a strong supporter of proper funding for NASA and takes an interest in its success. In strong contrast, the Senators from California don't even seem to know that NASA exists. Another Phil |
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