You're right. I've known people who worked for NASA.
I know there are some really brilliant, dedicated folks
who work for NASA and want the USA's space program to
succeed. But I believe NASA has become hidebound agency
hamstrung by ridiculous diversity nonsense and interference
from Democrat Party leftist kooks who don't think USA should
have a space program because the money should be
spent on America's "disadvantaged" class.
As for all of those smart people who work there -
they are constantly undercut by the bureaucrats.
SpaceX is what it is today due to Elon Musk. In the future, competition is necessary. Without competition, inertia prevails and no one can get anything done.
I worked for the DoD for almost 31 years....I know all about bureaucracy.
And when odumbo told nasa to help the Muslims and shut down the shuttle program I knew they were in trouble.
Of course as we know anything the fed gov gets its fingers into turns to crap....usps, amtrak and on and on.
Anytime you use the “we need some from each protected group” model over the best qualified person for the job model (God forbid!) only thing you get is a mediocre product.
Working in aviation maintenance in support of the US Navy warfighter, to this day I’m surprised we never lost a flight crew......but in 31 years I did see a few close calls however.