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Contractor nearly deceives NASA into DART mission failure
Space Daily ^ | 11/09/2004 | Keith Cowing

Posted on 11/09/2004 9:58:50 AM PST by cogitator

I'm excerpting this because it's a long article. Go to the link to read the whole sordid story.

"About a year ago, Orbital's Launch Division changed the stage two igniter in the Pegasus launch vehicle that would be used to launch DART. They eventually determined that the launch environment would be different and that it would present a larger launch load - one which would have damaged the DART spacecraft.

At the time of the change NASA asked Orbital Launch Division for information on this change and how it would affect the mission. Orbital Launch Division dragged their feet and eventually told NASA not to worry. This situation continued until last week. Senior management at Orbital was apparently not at all interested in seeing this issue raised with its customer, NASA.

Within Orbital Sciences Corporation a conflict arose. Orbital's Space Division repeatedly went to Orbital's Launch Division and told them that these new launch loads would indeed damage the spacecraft. Eventually, the Space Division people felt that they could not keep this information from NASA any longer.

In a telecon last Friday, an Orbital Vice President finally admitted to NASA that the changes in the launch vehicle would create different launch loads than had originally been expected - and that this could indeed damage the DART spacecraft. They also admitted that this was not a new concern, but rather one they had known about for some time.

NASA was not at all happy to learn this."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: coverup; dart; deception; launch; nasa; orbitallaunch; orbitalsciences; scam; traitors
I wouldn't be either!
1 posted on 11/09/2004 9:58:51 AM PST by cogitator
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To: cogitator; Poohbah; veronica

What. A. Mess.

[insert SERIOUS violations of the "No Profanity" rule here]


2 posted on 11/09/2004 10:09:17 AM PST by hchutch (A pro-artificial turf, pro-designated hitter baseball fan.)
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Comment #3 Removed by Moderator

To: cogitator

But where does Halliburton figure into this?
/sarcasm


4 posted on 11/09/2004 10:12:37 AM PST by daybreakcoming
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To: cogitator

Som econtractors seem to LIKE smashing holes in the desert with multi-million dollar space probes ala Genesis.
*snort*
Sounds like they aren't really interested in science anymore, but money.
As long as they get paid at least SOME of the contract, they're happy.

At least that's how it looks to this non-aerospace non-engineer type.


5 posted on 11/09/2004 10:14:31 AM PST by Darksheare (Personality shattered and horribly twisted, the humor flows out through the cracks.)
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To: cogitator

I just hope they changed the name of the project to LAWN DART.


6 posted on 11/09/2004 10:16:07 AM PST by asgardshill (Bad Liberal - No Kool Aid)
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To: cogitator

Thanks for posting this. It'll fit in very nicely with my "Rocket Science" lecture tonight.


7 posted on 11/09/2004 10:18:56 AM PST by r9etb
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To: cogitator
Not a disaster story. They can put the structure on vibration isolators or make some other accomodation (ie stiffen up the load carrying structure).

Certainly, though, OSC should PAY for their deception (i.e. a hit on their contract). No doubt they will (its happened before, believe me).

8 posted on 11/09/2004 10:22:53 AM PST by Nonstatist
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To: cogitator; Mo1; Howlin; Peach; BeforeISleep; kimmie7; 4integrity; BigSkyFreeper; RandallFlagg; ...
They also admitted that this was not a new concern, but rather one they had known about for some time.

NASA was not at all happy to learn this."

Really???? How about the tax payers?

9 posted on 11/09/2004 10:24:34 AM PST by OXENinFLA
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To: OXENinFLA
How about the tax payers

OSC will take a big hit, or that'll be their last contract with NASA. Not something theyd like to see happen.

10 posted on 11/09/2004 10:26:26 AM PST by Nonstatist
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To: Nonstatist
or that'll be their last contract with NASA

That's what I was thinking too.

I almost feel like sending this to Sen. Nelson.

11 posted on 11/09/2004 10:28:03 AM PST by OXENinFLA
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To: cogitator
Am I understnading this correctly?

If they launch DART successfully they get paid for one launch. If the DART payload is damaged but the launch was "successful" then they will get paid for two launches -- the damaged DART and its eventual replacement.

12 posted on 11/09/2004 10:31:05 AM PST by FreedomCalls (It's the "Statue of Liberty," not the "Statue of Security.")
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To: OXENinFLA
People are always trying to CYA, hoping maybe the payload will be cancelled or maybe the structure was over-designed and will be okay, or whatever. And then when the spit hits the fan they hope they can pass the buck.

Thing is, some proportion of the population are just plain stupid; its a darn shame if you ask me.

13 posted on 11/09/2004 10:32:53 AM PST by Nonstatist
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To: FreedomCalls
If the DART payload is damaged but the launch was "successful" then they will get paid for two

The cat's out of the bag. Now, theyll be liucky to be paid for one.

14 posted on 11/09/2004 10:34:18 AM PST by Nonstatist
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To: FreedomCalls

If the payload was damaged and the cause was traceable back to their (mis)management of the launch - and apparently this would be easy to do in this case - they'd probably get a major hit in the final payment from the government.


15 posted on 11/09/2004 10:47:19 AM PST by cogitator
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To: asgardshill
LAWN DART.


16 posted on 11/09/2004 12:17:14 PM PST by American in Israel (A wise man's heart directs him to the right, but the foolish mans heart directs him toward the left.)
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To: Nonstatist
OSC will take a big hit, or that'll be their last contract with NASA. Not something theyd like to see happen.

Remember, this is NASA we're talking about. They'll probably get more money now...

17 posted on 11/09/2004 6:40:17 PM PST by MikeD (Out in the barnyard, the cook is chopping lumber...)
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To: MikeD
Remember, this is NASA we're talking about. They'll probably get more money now...

NASA's budget has been pretty much frozen at 15 billion for some time now. You must be thinking about the defense budget.

18 posted on 11/10/2004 10:30:08 AM PST by Nonstatist
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