

NASA may scrap plans to build moon base - DanielBMarkham
http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2009/04/nasa-likely-to-scrap-plans-to-build-moon-base.html

======
DanielBMarkham
Here we have an agency, a clear mission, and return value to society if
obstacles are cleared for that mission to be a success. And we're freaking
changing direction yet again in mid-stream.

I am not a big fan of NASA: sometimes I don't think they could manage their
way out of a paper bag. I think that outsourcing their problems to the
community is their best chance at meeting their objectives.

But gee, guys, at least _give_ them a mission that they can succeed or fail
at. Even if the moon was a bad idea, the process of trying to acheive that
mission hopefully would drive out more innovations in manned spaceflight.
Putting off the easier smaller goal in favor of a longer-away more vague goal
is total idiocy from an organizational standpoint. We know this from our
technology projects and startups. Give them something they can achieve in
little pieces. Make them focus on results instead of process. Keep an eye on a
vision, any vision, and get the organization able to execute around that
vision. Public, simple, clear visions are best. Long complicated diagrams and
35-year plans are total bullshit.

This is just another nail in their coffin.

I'm really disappointed hearing this.

