My Space BlogBy Anthony Matthews – with an emphasis on Small Launch Vehicles |
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| By N2H | ||||
Former NASA Administrator Mike Griffin is unshakably opposed to switching from NASA’s Ares 1 rocket to an upgraded Air Force Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle, or EELV.
A chief reason: crew safety.
“Our probabilistic risk assessment for loss of crew on Ares 1 showed it to be twice as safe — I repeat, twice as safe — as a human-rated EELV-derived vehicle,” Griffin said recently.
Mike Griffin, whose own job as NASA adminisrator is nearing its end despite some sterling efforts, has warned of potential cutbacks.
WASHINGTON — Departing administrator Michael Griffin warned Tuesday that NASA would have to lay off an unspecified number of contractors if Congress freezes the agency’s spending at current levels.
Griffin’s comments reflected a timeworn practice by agency chiefs who often use dire warnings to try to persuade lawmakers to ante up additional funds.
He said Congress’ decision to hold NASA spending at the 2008 level of $17.3 billion could trigger the personnel cutbacks. He declined to specify the locations that might suffer the layoffs.
From the Orlando Sentinel, a reported phone call from Mike Griffin, the NASA administrator:
Industry officials say that a few days later, Griffin called Robert Stevens, the CEO of Lockheed Martin Corp., which jointly owns ULA together with Boeing Co., and demanded that Stevens stop what Griffin called the subsidiary’s efforts to “kill Ares I” by promoting versions of its own rockets that could carry humans to space.
Maybe Mike Griffin should get his wife to call. She seems to be doing pretty good rallying people around the effort to keep the Administrator in his job.
Editors note: this post was updated on 1/7/09 to include this link with updates as to the status on the appointment of a new administrator:
Over at NASAWatch, they’re keeping tabs on the petition to keep Mike Griffin in his post. The implication is that signers leaving negative comments are being removed.
http://www.nasawatch.com/archives/2009/01/vote_to_keep_mi.html
Unfortunately, in my opinion, this can only have a negative effect. Obama, if he keeps Griffin, will be accused of bowing to the pressure of an unscientifically developed petition. Yet another mess he’s expected to straighten out when I need him to fix my mortgage!