Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!helios.ee.lbl.gov!pasteur!agate!eos!eugene
From: eugene@eos.UUCP (Eugene Miya)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Shuttle Rolling and Throttle Back
Message-ID: <1560@eos.UUCP>
Date: 19 Sep 88 21:19:06 GMT
References: <118@avatar.UUCP> <6400003@cpe> <1988Sep18.221312.25810@utzoo.uucp>
Reply-To: eugene@eos.UUCP (Eugene Miya)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Calif.
Lines: 35

>Had the pad been built for the shuttle, the matter probably would have
>been attended to.  The pad, however, was built for the US's best launch
>vehicle, the Saturn V.  At the time it was designed and constructed, the
>pad was meant to be used for Saturns well into the 1980s.  The notion
>that Saturn launch capability would be abandoned within a decade would
>have been considered ridiculous.  Even less credibility would have been
>given to the suggestion that the pads be designed to accommodate an
>inferior follow-on system.  (There *was* some effort made to allow for
>*better* followons.)

There is a facilities problem acknoledged within the Agency when it comes
to things like this.  Our engineers and scientists create facilities
to solve the problem at hand, rarely thinking about the next problem.
Such is the case with JPL's IPL (Image Processing Lab) which was a
remant of the Viking Program.  Do not think image processing is
standard operating procedure, it's regarded as a somewhat costly
addition.  Anyway, for years the Lab sought to upgrade the IPL,
now called the Multi-Mission IPL.  It's a computer facility independent
from the main JPL computer facility (a source of attack), from
the researchers who even benefit in the long run (also attack it,
where do you think budgets get cut first?).

This case is not unique, practically every project in the Agency has
a degree of this.  As a result it is called the "Project" mentality
(we have a definitive start and end date), this contrasts to ongoing
"Programs."  All I can say is people are aware and some want to change
and remember that some degree of change will result in more bureaucracy.
So now we have to balance.

Another gross generalization from

--eugene miya, NASA Ames Research Center, eugene@aurora.arc.nasa.gov
  resident cynic at the Rock of Ages Home for Retired Hackers:
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