[Gondring]

Yes, the data would have had to go through multiple steps of archiving. Microfilm/fiche, then conversion over to digital. Everybody who wanted no budget for these things in the 1980s is now complaining that the archiving didn’t occur. Heck, we almost threw away all of our satellite data at the end of the 80s (Dan Quayle came through with the funding to save the archive) and people are wondering why these volumous original records weren’t kept.

[Pontiac]

An interesting example of how money concerns led to the loss of irreplaceable data that was in the news lately is how the original NASA video tape of the Apollo Moon landing was over written because of the price of computer tape.

If something that priceless gets lost because of budget constraints who knows what might get dumped.

I heard years ago that the design drawings of the Saturn 5 boosters were long gone.