Posted on 03/08/2006 9:35:55 PM PST by NormsRevenge
There is a learning curve. As to the calculations, somebody has to oversee the total project, not leave it up to committee, but modern programming techniques are including more checking of actual software performance under stress. They might well have checking software that looks for consistency of units--one very expensive mistake would encourage that.
Nervous? What's there to be nervous about? I mean it's just a satellite. Of course it was built by government contractors who don't actually have to provide results but hey it's so much better a job than private industry could do....
But hey let's continue space exploration with a less than 50% success rate on the taxpayers' dime. That way it will only take three times as long to colonize space...
Big whoop. It's still a waste of taxpayer dollars. Eventually though, private industry will still surpass government subsidized 'exploratory' jaunts
The 1967 UN Outer Space Treaty is the massive barrier to private investment in outer space exploitation. There will be none while the Treaty is in effect.
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