Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Ares Manager Steve Cook Resigns From NASA

Posted by timothy on from the but-it's-a-revolving-door-in-space dept.

FleaPlus writes "Steve Cook, project manager for the Ares I-X, Ares I, and Ares V rockets, announced that he will resign from NASA MSFC after 19 years at the agency, leaving for an executive position at Dynetics, Inc. This raises doubts about the future of the Ares program, which has been plagued with development problems and massive cost/schedule overruns since its inception. Steve Cook also oversaw the (since discredited) 2005 ESAS study which scrapped NASA's prior plans to adapt already-existing commercial rockets for human/beyond-LEO exploration in favor of internally developing the Ares rockets."

5 of 153 comments (clear)

  1. Dianetics... WTF? by marciot · · Score: 5, Funny

    He is leaving NASA to become a scientologist? This is a sad loss for science.

  2. Good news? by clarkkent09 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Steve Cook, project manager for the Ares .... which has been plagued with development problems and massive cost/schedule overruns since its inception. Steve Cook also oversaw the (since discredited) 2005 ESAS study...

    So, has he done anything good lately? Either the summary is very unfair to the guy or this Dynetics thing is doomed.

    --
    Negative moral value of force outweighs the positive value of good intentions.
    1. Re:Good news? by FleaPlus · · Score: 5, Interesting

      So, has he done anything good lately? Either the summary is very unfair to the guy or this Dynetics thing is doomed.

      Before making my submission I honestly tried to find examples of things which were even marginally successful, but could only find examples of management failures (X-33, X-34, Delta Clipper, ISS Propulsion Module). The only positive result I can find is that he had some pretty cool CGI videos made of his project designs, which apparently helped a lot with making sure that they got money for as long as they did.

      Seriously, if anybody has examples of anything good Steve Cook did during his 19 years at NASA, please post them.

  3. Re:Back out of Plan Affirmative-Action by rpj1288 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Really reliable except for a series of Soyuz spacecraft that nearly burned up on reentry, due to the thrust unit not being released properly. They still have no idea what is causing it. See for example: http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/20/soyuz-crew-safe-after-a-violent-re-entry-and-landing-400km-off-target/

    --
    Marvin knew: "Think of a number, any number..."
  4. Re:Back out of Plan Affirmative-Action by amilo100 · · Score: 5, Funny

    If Soyuz has a severe problem during landing, it ends up in another country.

    If the Shuttle has a severe problem during landing, it ends up in different countries.