March 20, 2001
7:04 AM Subscribe
Millionaire space tourist rebuffed by NASA. Russian cosmonauts walk away in protest. I find the NASA decision disappointing. I wonder how the rest of the World will react? NASA's approval ratings could be better.
I think NASA is trying to cover its ass here. Remember what happened last time they tried to send a civilian into orbit? If something were to go wrong, there would be all kinds of questions about sending "regular people" into space. As silly as that is, NASA is so threatened by further budget cuts that they will do whatever they can to keep their political record as spotless as possible. Now even if the Russians keep to plan, NASA can say, "Hey, we refused to have anything to do with that."
Of course, it doesn't help matters that this guy isn't paying off NASA as well. I'm sure a few tens of millions in the right hands might change some minds down in Houston.
posted by daveadams at 9:45 AM on March 21, 2001
Of course, it doesn't help matters that this guy isn't paying off NASA as well. I'm sure a few tens of millions in the right hands might change some minds down in Houston.
posted by daveadams at 9:45 AM on March 21, 2001
But NASA isn't sending Tito up, they're just being asked to provide him with the same training that they provide for anyone who goes up to the ISS, to prevent accidents by untrained people in the US modules -- even when there's no plan for those people to be anywhere near the US modules. It's a safety issue, and by refusing to train Tito with the rest of the crew, they only increase the chances of something going wrong if the unexpected happens during his mission.
His contract with the Russians makes him a cosmonaut in their eyes, and they've given him their full compendium of preparatory classes and training. I don't see where NASA gets off saying that they won't treat him the same way they treat everyone from the Russian program; it isn't NASA's business how or why he became a part of the Russian team.
And the money angle doesn't wash. If Tito weren't on schedule to be a part of this team, there'd be a "regular" cosmonaut in his place, and NASA would have had to give him their training without expecting extra payment, so to say that they won't train Tito without their own private payment comes off as greed, jealousy and stupidity.
He's going to space. He needs the training. If something goes wrong, the fingers will point (correctly) to NASA for failing to live up to its part of the ISS co-training agreement.
posted by Dreama at 10:00 AM on March 21, 2001
His contract with the Russians makes him a cosmonaut in their eyes, and they've given him their full compendium of preparatory classes and training. I don't see where NASA gets off saying that they won't treat him the same way they treat everyone from the Russian program; it isn't NASA's business how or why he became a part of the Russian team.
And the money angle doesn't wash. If Tito weren't on schedule to be a part of this team, there'd be a "regular" cosmonaut in his place, and NASA would have had to give him their training without expecting extra payment, so to say that they won't train Tito without their own private payment comes off as greed, jealousy and stupidity.
He's going to space. He needs the training. If something goes wrong, the fingers will point (correctly) to NASA for failing to live up to its part of the ISS co-training agreement.
posted by Dreama at 10:00 AM on March 21, 2001
He's going to space. He needs the training. If something goes wrong, the fingers will point (correctly) to NASA for failing to live up to its part of the ISS co-training agreement.
Yeah yeah. I wasn't saying NASA was right to do it, I was giving my opinion about why they might be doing it.
As for the money thing, it was kind of a joke...
posted by daveadams at 12:15 PM on March 21, 2001
Yeah yeah. I wasn't saying NASA was right to do it, I was giving my opinion about why they might be doing it.
As for the money thing, it was kind of a joke...
posted by daveadams at 12:15 PM on March 21, 2001
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*fudgies = upper Michigan for tourists
posted by rodii at 5:16 PM on March 20, 2001