Utah vs. NASA On Heavy-Lift Rocket Design

FleaPlus writes "Utah congressmen Orrin Hatch, Bob Bennett, Rob Bishop, and Jim Matheson issued a statement claiming that NASA's design process for a new congressionally-mandated heavy-lift rocket system may be trying to circumvent the law. According to the congressmen and their advisors from solid rocket producer ATK, the heavy-lift legislation's requirements can only be met by rockets utilizing ATK's solid rocket boosters. They are alarmed that NASA is also considering other approaches, such as all-liquid designs based on the rockets operated by the United Launch Alliance and SpaceX. ATK's solid rockets were arguably responsible for many of the safety and cost problems which plagued NASA's canceled Ares rocket system."

Comments

Shame

[winnitude]

It's always a shame when the law gets in the way of science. If it didn't, I would probably have six testicles by now due to cloning.

Re:Shame

[airfoobar]

That's bollocks. You can never have enough testicles!

Re:Shame

[edumacator]

Why the heck would you take 6 testicles?

You obviously aren't married. Two for my wife, two for me, and two on reserve for when my wife finds out I still have a set and confiscates them.

Re:Shame

[mug funky]

That's testicles. You can never have enough bollocks!

Re:Shame

[Anonymous Coward]

Ah. Now I get it. The standard /. mantra: "backups, backups, backups".

Re:Shame

[WrongSizeGlass]

Why the heck would you take 6 testicles?

Because it gives you alternatives with plausable deniability, such as Of course I have a six-pack, wanna see it? and Wanna come over tonight and share a six-pack? It will also provide several public apperance and marketing opportunities with politicians who commonly refer to the masses as 'Joe Six-pack'.

Re:Shame

[girlintraining]

It's always a shame when the law gets in the way of science. If it didn't, I would probably have six testicles by now due to cloning.

I believe I speak for the majority of women you'll be encountering with your freakishly large pants stuffer when I say -- you're going home alone with that.

Re:Move along, nothing to see

[Chrisq]

So... if I understand correctly, what's actually happening here is that a Utah company claims that NASA cannot meet the legal requirements by using the competition's designs, and the various Utah congressmen are joining in the chorus to support that Utah company.

Company discredits competitors, congressmen support their state's industry. Surprising? Hardly.

That's only half of it - the astronauts have to wear magic underwear inside their space-suits to meet the clothing law

Re:You dont...

[PseudonymousBraveguy]

Spider-Pork, Spider-Pork,
does whatever the lobbyist says,
Can he introduce
useful laws?
No he can't
he's a pork
LOOK OUT!
He's a spider POOOOOOORK

A better legal solution

[petes_PoV]

Just add amendments to the laws of gravity, aerodynamics and celestial mechanics and the whole rocket design process will become much easier. Surely the utah legislature can manage that, can't they? (and while they're at it, sort out Pi, too?)

Re:You dont...

[Eunuchswear]

What? Logical sequence?

First you took down Irans biggest enemy, Saddam.

Then you took down their second biggest, the Taliban.

The logical sequence would be either:

1. take out Saudi Arabia
2. commit suicide.