CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA underestimated costs and failed to grasp the complexity of the International Space Station program, resulting in $4 billion of extra expense and changes to the project that have crippled the outpost's scientific promise.
That's the conclusion of a special report published in today's editions of FLORIDA TODAY newspaper, whose circulation area includes the Kennedy Space Center.
FLORIDA TODAY's space team spent the past few months reviewing more than 1,000 pages of documents, many obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, to determine where the money went and why the cost overruns happened in the first place.
Contract changes, ignored warnings, program delays, mistakes and optimism are all cited as contributors to the problem in the series of reports that includes a history of the space station program and reaction from scientists.
"The story of the International Space Station is one of big money, hardball politics, evasive tactics, technological roadblocks and wide-eyed brilliance. It is a tale of a fallen kingpin, clever strategists, and youthful heroes who have kept the explorers' dreams alive," FLORIDA TODAY writes.
Defending the program, NASA Administrator Dan Goldin told FLORIDA TODAY, "Could we have done better in estimating the end cost? Maybe... I make no apologies, zip, nada, nothing. This program is spectacular."
I think every advancements in human history require some form of sacrifice, and if we ever want to gain a "permanent beach-head" into space, then ISS is a must.
I think histroy will prove the significance of ISS even when it's about to be over-budgeted, or behind schedule.
[ June 17, 2001: Message edited by: BlueElectron ]
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
What's the point of the first post, anyway? That there have been enough blunders along the road to Alpha to build a big thing entirely out of blunders? Well, duh. What on (or in near orbit of) Earth does that have to do with any potential future value of the station?
Posted by InFiNiTy is a (Member # 531) on :
If they don't build it just because of something as nonsensical as 4 billion dollars, then they'll do humanity a great disservice, but with republicans in power, what can you expect?
Posted by Delta Vega (Member # 283) on :
Oh, I support the program (most of the time), I just thought it was an interesting article since so many people seem to be criticizing the ISS these days. It's also interesting to note that NASA ranked third or fourth on the government mismanagement list due to the ISS and the two Mars probes that disappeared.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
Apollo 1 caught fire and killed three people. Yet we still made it to Apollo 11 and landed people on the moon. Cock-ups are a learning experience, a way to improve on the next go-around. They're not a reason to simply give up.
Posted by Jay the Obscure (Member # 19) on :
Lose a probe to Mars go on a mismanaged list...where's the justice in that.
