Shuttle NOT Beyond Point Of No Return

Last week, Wayne Hale, NASA’s former Shuttle program manager, posted in his blog that, “The horse had left the barn” on not retiring the Shuttle. Well, as in most things, the situation concerning Shuttle retirement is much more complicated.

Money quote: according to John Shannon, the present Shuttle program manager, the point of no return has not been reached on Shuttle.

Very interesting…wonder if Mike, after writing his email, OK’d Shannon to speak his mind, even though that opinion is counter to White House policy? If so, glad he did. I can’t think of a time when an executive agency has set itself so apart from Executive Branch policy as NASA has in the last few days to the point of near open rebellion.

Whatever the reason for NASA management openness and disagreement with the White House, I could not be happier. The nation needs honest answers by those who know what they are talking about, not the party line by policy wonks who wouldn’t know a derivative from an antiderivative. America’s Space access is too important.

Time To Hit The Ground

The Soyuz Problem