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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."
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.
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
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
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.
Watch this Heartland Institute video