From: utzoo!decvax!cca!CSD.MCGRATH@SU-SCORE@sri-unix
Newsgroups: net.space
Title: Rationality of SSI launch
Article-I.D.: sri-unix.3238
Posted: Sun Sep 12 00:20:48 1982
Received: Mon Sep 13 02:02:39 1982

From: Jim McGrath 

It all depends upon what it was suppose to do.  If it was suppose to
be a complete model for later launchings, then of course it is
irrational (you cannot live off of second hand NASA parts forever).
But it was NOT meant to be that.  As far as I know, SSI is still
committed to developing their own rocket, and this launch was largely
intended to 1) get rid of the problems associated with a launch that
are NOT dependent upon the rocket itself (so that you can later
concentrate on just perfecting the rocket), and 2) getting ANYTHING
up so as to attract more money.  The failure of the European rocket
was very fortunate in that it provided a feild day for reporters
to compare American private enterprize to European government work.

Jim

-------