cutting the cheaper launchers

ThomasKalbfus@... wrote: No, not to me. The problem is with Lockheed, their a typical business as
usual areospace government contractor. They lowballed the cost estimate for
the X-33 and won the contract award at the expense of the other contenders
with the expectation that they can have cost overruns later by holding the
completion of the X-33 hostage.

Many years ago after spending some time working at a NASA contractor bidding on proposals and projects, I wrote a letter to a number of congressmen trying to get them to consider replacing NASA with a different system. The current system is totally inept. First of all they ask for things that don't make sense Then they assign people to oversee the bid/project that are incompetent. The competent ones don't ever seem to have any power. Then they change their minds constantly about what it is they want. Who gets what contract is not at all based on what is in the proposal. It was a very frustrating experience. I am always amazed when NASA manages to accomplish anything.
Mitchell James
mejames@...
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