[Prime Choice]

Of course, as far as I heard, nobody at NASA was fired for this monumental stupidity.

You wouldn't have heard about said termination even if it occurred. It's none of the public's business if a private individual is reprimanded or released from his position.

NASA's a fine outfit. Sure, there's always a select number of folks who screw up royally here and there. Show me any comparably-advanced technical organization that doesn't have any such people.

[VOA]

You wouldn't have heard about said termination even if it occurred. It's none of the
public's business if a private individual is reprimanded or released from his position.

If this were true, a fair number of major newpapers would have been sued out
of existence.
Over the years, I can recall less than favorable articles about
named individuals "released" from employment with the pubically-funded organizations
in Oklahoma.
The latest one is the forensic scientist released from the police lab in Oklahoma City.
She got PLENTY of coverage in The Daily Oklahoman and even a segment of CBS's Sixty Minutes
for her warping of evidence in order to get convictions.

I can see people fired/released from private organizations not being named
if they are kicked overboard (and negotiate a quiet departure)...but a cloak
of invisibility when released from a publically-funded organization?

If so, I regret working in private industry and understand why so many
people want to work for the guvmint.