Space and Science BS Thread

Beyond that, even, it's "how much money can we put in our investors pockets this quarter", at the cost of any sort of long-term vision,

 

There’s a few angles like you and others have pointed out.

The most problematic from my laymen’s eyes is that Congress drives the bus with no knowledge of what x should be.

Individual motivations are too many to totally account for- could be votes (jobs) in their district; gain favor with the Corporations for the cushy cash flow later on; gain favors within their caucus or leadership…

They need to be removed from making operational and program decisions but I sound like Pollyanna saying that.

 

Less than 100 years ago:

https://twitter.com/airandspace/status/1395383828252868609?s=21

 

I think that says it all...

 

While that's certainly there, from my position as an operational government manager (in the VA) a lot of our frustration is that strategic contract priorities don't 100% match operational contract priorities. At a very senior level is "the idea" that goes out to contract, and a lot of time is spent banging that idea into shape with reality.

Leadership doesn't always include the experts before the RFCs or contracts go out.

Another problem we have is that a lot of our executive positions "have not been staffed correctly" (or at all) for the past few years...and people in acting positions often don't have the authority to make certain program changes. So far (from my vantage point) the posts are just now starting to be staffed with qualified people. We really need those people in place to push back against Congress or other special interests and say "that's not what we do" or "that's not how this works."

It's one thing to have expectations at the top level - but those expectations have to be realistic. When they aren't...

 

It’s always been this way. Folks just refused to face reality.

When railroads were built it was greed that motivated the building. Not just future profit from fares and freight, but at times free land. Even if it dispossessed those already there.

When aircraft were in their first blush of development every company was after one thing, profits. Even today aircraft manufacturers don’t spend a dime without knowing what the payout will be.

If we want to succeed in space we need to draw on the same greed. Oh, people dress it up as entrepreneurial spirit and other such blather. But it is greed pure and simple.

 

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind the greed aspect, that's just part of human nature, might as well take advantage of it. It's the "short-term gains at the cost of any long-term viability" that I detest. This is one of the reasons SpaceX is able to do what it does - Elon never has to stand up in front of the shareholders and defend blowing up rockets in Texas. There's no desire to actually strive to do something new or different, because there's a chance of failure or that a new endeavor might not pay out.

 

greed
/ɡrēd/

noun

1. intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food. "mercenaries who had allowed greed to overtake their principles"

I still hold out some hope that some of those who we’re accusing of acting for greed only still had some principles they refused to give up.

I’m ok with entrepreneurs and the working stiffs earning a decent profit but that should be secondary to the work expected, not the primary motivation.

 

Take away the greed and nothing would ever have been accomplished. Humans are not by nature kind and loving individuals concerned about their fellow man. We are predators that will do whatever is necessary to obtain what we want.

 

We are also a fully self-aware sentient species that is capable of much greater things, rejecting our animal nature and striving for greater accomplishment.

We just have to get the selfish assholes out of the way first.

 

Once more the delusional believe in the innate goodness of man exists even with all evidence to the contrary.

 

You’re reading words that aren’t there. Stop it.

I never said innate goodness. I said that we have the capability where we have the will.

You obviously need to hang out with different people. I think they’re a negative influence on you.

 

Greed is good. Greed has allowed selfish assholes to accumulate large amounts of wealth. Those selfish assholes then take that wealth and risk it on investing in things like defying gravity by riding explosions to space. If it was not for their greed the only ones with the capital to accomplish such endeavors would be governments and governments typically give you 1/4 the output at 15-50X the cost. Even after you pay those selfish assholes what ever amount agreed upon it still works out cheaper, better, and faster than the government doing it.

 

For the Space Geeks, Chris Kraft estate sale:
https://historical.ha.com/c/search-results.zx?N=3196+793+794+792+2088+4294941690
Don't bother bidding on the Apollo 11 Lunar Module flown American Flag & embroidered Mission Insignia Patch, I'm going to get it.

 

But in the beginning the technology is developed with taxpayer money. The taxpayers absorb the financial risk of learning how to get to space. The rich sit back and wait until the technology is proven to be profitable, then they slide in and take it.

They socialize the risk and privatize the profit

 

But…now we have astronaut ice cream!