[wplug] [OT] Why /. doesn't matter -- WAS: Book published using Open Source software

[Bryan J. Smith]

On Fri, 2007-08-17 at 23:28 -0400, Bryan J. Smith wrote:
> Do you even understand the _mechanics_ of _all_ that goes into the
> design of the Solid Rocket Booster (SRB)?
> Did you even _follow_ the _real_ discovery on that failure?
> Or the _real_ discussions on the _current_ and _real_ issue on the
> CFC-less insulator that affects _many_ things other than STS?

My last point on this ...

You read the "dumb down" version of this in the news and /.
Same deal with the Hubble, the various things, etc...

Should we revisit the Mars Polar Lander?
I.e., that's what happens when you slash QA budget 90% and remove 9 out
of 10 engineers on QA -- but no one talks about how it only cost 1/10th
of a normal launch.

Let alone the trickle of funds NASA has compared to the Apollo days.
And don't get me started about the first time I went out to one of the
key transmitter stations at the Cape and my foot went through the
floorboard.

And the biggest ignorance is on RTGs.

There is nothing more _pathetic_ than to try to explain what an RTG is
to a "layperson" and they just keep saying "I don't want nukes in space"
or "if the rocket blows up, it will irradiate me!"

[ Note to people:  We've had no less than 3 -- *THREE* -- rockets blow
up with RTGs on-board.  They dropped into the ocean, whole and intact,
and were re-used.  This is public information. ;) ]



-- 
Bryan J. Smith         Professional, Technical Annoyance
mailto:b.j.smith at ieee.org   http://thebs413.blogspot.com
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        Fission Power:  An Inconvenient Solution