Slashdot Mirror
Can the Ares Program Be Salvaged?
MarkWhittington writes "The Augustine Commission has not officially presented its findings to the White House, but already a push back is starting to occur over the possibility that the Ares 1 rocket will be canceled after three billion dollars and over four years of development. According to a story in the Orlando Sentinel contractors involved in the development of the Ares 1 have started a quiet but persistent public relations campaign to save the Ares 1, criticized in some quarters because of cost and technical problems."
The question is not whether Ares can be salvages. Instead, we should as should it be salvaged. Like its predecessor, the Space Shuttle, it is entirely too political in origin, promising to be all things to all people, and instead doing a half-assed job of doing much of anything beside making some congressman's constituents happy.
âoeAny society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.
Another case of mis-framing: the question to ask is not "can the Ares program be salvaged?" but rather "should the Ares program be salvaged?" That's what the Augustine Commission is intending to decide, right? Perhaps the Commission should be sequestered like a jury, to keep it from being unduly influenced by these nervous contractors afraid they're about to be kicked from the back of the gravy train?