Statement of NASA Administrator Michael Griffin on Aug. 18 Email

[Inside KSC News Feeds]

"The leaked internal email fails to provide the contextual framework for my remarks, and my support for the administration's policies."

More...

[JimMcDade]

The word "jihad" really pegs up the emotion meter on this story. The essence of this email is that Griffin supports retiring the Space Shuttle, but he would prefer to see such decisions based upon, "an engineering and program management decision" and not based on political expediency.

It would be nice to know the underlying motive of the person who intentionally leaked selected emails. It looks as if the intention was just to embarrass the White House and the NASA administrator. But why?

RayGun, A DIRECT 2.0 poster on another forum, enthusiastically attempted to link this story to the Ares I booster program, but there is absolutely nothing in this email that addresses Ares I technical issues. Griffin's email addresses the retirement of the Space Shuttle, a vehicle that Griffin knows is unsafe and a financial drain on the effort to build a Shuttle replacement. The usual conspiracy kooks relish this kind of story since they can filter it through their personal gestalt. Ares I is within margins on all accounts. Besides, has the federal government ever done anything that is "SAFE, SIMPLE, SOON" or as cheap as they first told us it would be?

[Me2]

Ares I is within margins on all accounts.

Wrong. Ares is in trouble.
1. The margins are manipulated and false
2. MSFC and CxP are not using standard agency margins. Other spacecraft projects use 25% margins before PDR.
3. Orion is using 10% so that it seems like Ares I can lift it. To keep it within the 10% margin, Orion is losing functionality, land landings*, 6 man crew*, some redundancy, etc

* - VSE requirements (as you would say)

Before you respond, with an anti Direct tirade and MSFC supplied BS spin, Anti Stick does not equate to pro Direct.
There are better non Stick, non Direct alternatives

[Andrew]

Wrong. Ares is in trouble.
1. The margins are manipulated and false
2. MSFC and CxP are not using standard agency margins. Other spacecraft projects use 25% margins before PDR.
3. Orion is using 10% so that it seems like Ares I can lift it. To keep it within the 10% margin, Orion is losing functionality, land landings*, 6 man crew*, some redundancy, etc

You just love to start every e-mail with "wrong," don't you? LOL, it's a hoot!

-Andrew

[Me2]

I can start every email with a "wrong", if mcdade can include "direct conspiracy" in everyone of his

[Andrew]

I can start every email with a "wrong", if mcdade can include "direct conspiracy" in everyone of his

Wrong. McDade doesn't start every one of his e-mails like that.

But, the DIRECTers DO think there is a conspiracy. Why? Because they say so.

-Andrew

[Me2]

Wrong. McDade doesn't start every one of his e-mails like that.

Never said "start", I said "include"

[Andrew]

Never said "start", I said "include"

Wow, way to avoid the point, guy ! Okay, then: McDade doesn't include that statement in every one of his e-mails like that.

Better?

-Andrew