I don’t know; that’s what Firefly and Intuitive Machines are doing now. See post
above.
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Casio for the win!!
The one and only to have passed all of the NASA tests. rolex, tudor and all others failed.
The G.O.A.T.
https://www.omegawatches.com/en-us/watches/speedmaster/moonwatch-professional/product
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Remember Apollo 13, yes THANK YOU MOONWATCH.
Tudor was never in the mix.
NASA sent out bids to 10 companies, these responded Rolex, Longines-Wittnauer, Hamilton, and Omega.
Hamilton in an epic fail, sent a pocket watch to be considered instead of a wrist watch. What a blown opportunity.
I love mine, absolutely love it, never ages and it has the emblematic back. The new ones show the movement. I do not know why they did that.
Chris,
IMHO SpaceX is run like a business with a sense of urgency to deliver a great product. NASA, is not. NASA allows time (and cost) to expand to fill the void available. I got to hear Wernher von Braun speak at UoH in the '70s . He was not happy with the slow pace of things at the Agency.
I think NASA should be streamlined on a business model approach. If not,we will continue getting the same time /cost
results. We do not have infinite budget for this activity.
Just say’in, not bashing .
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He is one of the four main V2 architects from the nazi regime.
I can’t remember how many nazi engineers came over to us but half of them went to Russia…hence the space race. Both U.S. and Russian space programs heavily relied on these engineers.
NASA cannot be run like a business because its primary mission is scientific exploration and advancing knowledge, not generating profit, and its discoveries are public domain, benefiting everyone, not just investors.
Here’s a more detailed explanation:
- Focus on Exploration and Discovery:
NASA’s core purpose is to push the boundaries of human knowledge about space and the universe, which often involves long-term, high-risk projects with no immediate commercial payoff.
- Public Good:
NASA’s discoveries, technologies, and data are intended for the benefit of all, not for private profit, meaning they are generally in the public domain.
- Funding Model:
NASA is a government agency funded by taxpayer dollars, allowing it to pursue research and development that might not be commercially viable. NASA is micro managed by congress, and subject to hearings where funding may be threatened. Think back to history and the delays seen after an accident and loss of life.
-
Examples of NASA’s Missions:
- Hubble Space Telescope: Built to observe the universe in ways previously impossible, not to make a profit.
- Space Science Missions: NASA conducts research on topics like the origins of the universe, the potential for life beyond Earth, and the effects of space on human health, which are not typically commercially driven.
-
Private Sector’s Role:
While NASA collaborates with the private sector for certain missions, it maintains its focus on scientific advancement and exploration.
- National Security:
NASA’s work also contributes to national security through space-based technologies and intelligence gathering.
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One difference is accountability.
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Yeah, it’s not the 1:1 comparison people keep trying to make.
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NASA has also never really been in the rocket building business. They have historically acted like a contractor and sub contracted all the work out, often to the lowest bidder. In many ways it is not different today. I want to see Blue Origin catch up to Space X to give NASA another option.
@JohnnyCougar as you pointed out accountability is different NASA is accountable to tax payers through members of congress who often threaten to withhold and slash budgets
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Exactly and private industry constituents are the only ones who own it, not everyone.
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Yes, Dr von Braun was a member of the Party. He survived and brought with him tons of information on his Rocket Program. He was a true lover of Human space travel and colonization . Reminds me of Elon’s love of space travel and making Humans intergalactic . These folks only come along every few generations . I am glad we have had them on our side.
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Operation Paperclip by Annie Jacobsen is a fantastic book that covers this.
Outstanding book. The outstanding TV series Hunters took some ideas/inspiration from it.