[anymouse]

"I don't know what they're doing," said Rutan, referring to NASA. "It doesn't make any sense."

"Usually the wacky people have the breakthrough. The smart people don't," Rutan told an audience at the International Space Development Conference in Los Angeles.

[anymouse]

Well Burt is certainly talking to the right people. NSS's ISDC is one of the biggest collections of wacky people outside of a DNC convention. Then again a large number of them are Democrats. :)

[SteveMcKing]

"... doesn't push the technical envelope needed to accomplish more complex future missions ..."

Because NASA's main mission is to recruit future lobbyists who will bring in more funding to recruit future lobbyists who will bring in more funding to recruit future lobbyists who will bring in more funding to recruit future lobbyists who will bring in more funding to recruit future lobbyists who will bring in more funding to recruit future lobbyists who will bring in more funding to recruit future lobbyists who will bring in more funding to recruit future lobbyists who will bring in more funding to recruit future lobbyists who will bring in more funding to recruit future lobbyists who will bring in more funding to recruit future lobbyists who will bring in more funding to recruit future lobbyists who will bring in more funding to recruit future lobbyists who will bring in more funding to recruit future lobbyists who will bring in more funding.... for the greater, common good.

[Cyber Liberty]

The Spaceship Company?

[newzjunkey]

Space PING.

[Thebaddog]

Burt has only achieved suborbital space travel which the US did FORTY YEARS AGO. Perhaps it would be wise to go back to what worked before your risked the lives of young astronauts for his vanities.

[anymouse]

space ping.

[CWOJackson]

Rutan makes some interesting aircraft, however, they've never been commercial production successes. I think Burt's a little out of his league with these comments.

[LZ_Bayonet]

"Fly me to the moon
And let me play among the stars"

"Capsule me to the moon
And let me play among the stars"

"Fly" definitely sounds better - case closed!

[KevinDavis]

[July 4th]

After laying on NASA, I was actually expecting him to propose something, but no.

But he said he doesn't know what that breakthrough will be.

Building a rehash of Apollo is not the future, but I don't think there's much of a future in reusable vehicles either. Perhaps for space tourism, yes. But if you've got plans to build something in space, it makes sense to use your lifting capacity to lift something that you can keep in orbit. Otherwise, returning a massive spacecraft to earth is a just a waste of the millions of pounds of fuel that you used to get it up there in the first place.

[airborne]

I'm less worried about waiting to come up with some grand new idea.

I'm more interested in getting moving on getting back to the moon.

We're already way behind thanks to the shuttle folly.

[Question_Assumptions]

When Rutan can build a ship that can achieve orbit, then he can take on NASA. Up and down is a lot easier than getting the velocity to orbit Earth or escape Earth's orbit.

[Moonman62]

"I don't know what they're doing," said Rutan, referring to NASA. "It doesn't make any sense."

They are doing what the politicians, in particular the top Republican, are telling them to do. Of course it doesn't make any sense. Duh.

[SunkenCiv]

http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/answers/980419b.html

[billbears]

Maverick aerospace designer Burt Rutan on Thursday criticized NASA's decision to use an Apollo-style capsule to return to the moon, saying it "doesn't make any sense" to build a new generation of space vehicles using old technology.

Burt, we're talking about a government agency that launched a generation old idea called the space bus in the 1980s. They wouldn't know a good idea if it bit them. They're existing off government money

NASA wasting taxpayer dollars since 1958

[tcrlaf]

It's called "Design By Congressional Committee", and it RARELY works out well...

Innovation wins every time, but it's better done by folks with drive and profit motive, than by pandering to pols wanting pork.......

[truemiester]

Aw jwwz, not this s*** again!

Look I think NASA did great. Now it has lost it focus.

You think if they could put a man on the moon.....they could put a man on the moon!

[MarineBrat]

Rutan said there needs to be a technological breakthrough in spacecraft design that would make it affordable and safe to send humans anywhere in the solar system. But he said he doesn't know what that breakthrough will be.

Lets put life on hold while Burt finds the perfect inspirational buzz and designs something.

I have tremendous respect for the man, but comments like this make me suspect that he's out of his league.

[Ichneumon]

"Usually the wacky people have the breakthrough. The smart people don't," Rutan told an audience at the International Space Development Conference in Los Angeles.

He's only half right. It's the wacky smart people who have the breakthroughs. The wacky non-smart people don't -- they just run for office as Democrats.

[Little Ray]

They should recruit Rutan...