ryoder 1,390 #1 August 4, 2008 http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080803-spaceflights-not-easy-space-x-loses-scotty-and-a-rocket.html Same thing happened a year ago: http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/19/scottys-ashes-found-in-new-mexico-mountains-after-failed-spacef/"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riddler 0 #2 August 4, 2008 Private industry is repeating what governments went through 50 years ago in the space sector. Failures are part of the game. On this page is a table, about 1/4-way down that shows the old Pioneer and Ranger spacecraft from the early moon-landing days. Notice how there are 15 failed missions before there is one successful mission. But we only remember the successful ones. The thing about private corporations is they are typically more short-lived than government, and have more limited budgets. That means that after enough failures, the program ends, and all of the learning from the failures is lost. What we really need in the private sector is an open-source space program, where learning is maintained online, and failures are recorded so that other's don't repeat them. Since that's not likely, then place your bets with the companies that are the longest-lived. If Google ever starts building spaceships, I'll put my money with them.Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
