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Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:
NASA auditors warned Thursday the space agency faces "significant safety and technical challenges" that need to be solved before astronauts fly in private capsules.
In its report, NASA's inspector general office noted Boeing and SpaceX are several years late in transporting crews to the International Space Station. The private capsules likely won't be certified before next summer, according to the report, and NASA should set a realistic timetable to avoid compromising safety.
NASA officials concurred with this and most of the other recommendations in the 53-page audit.
The auditors reported, meanwhile, that NASA overpaid Boeing $287.2 million to keep the company moving forward. Most of this overcharge was unnecessary, they said, a point with which NASA disagreed.
[...]
Boeing and SpaceX have made significant progress during these past eight years, NASA Inspector General Paul Martin and his auditors concluded in Thursday's report.
"However, after more than 2 years of delays both contractors will miss the current schedule to begin crewed test flights in late 2019," they wrote. "Addressing outstanding technical challenges, safety and performance testing, and verification of the contractors' requirements, hazards, and safety concerns likely will take significant time to complete."
(Score: 2) by takyon on Monday November 18 2019, @09:22AM (1 child)
If Starlink produces half of the expected revenue, it will make the billions SpaceX has gotten from NASA look like chump change. Meanwhile Starship will lower the cost per kg to almost nothing. Estimated at $2 million to launch 100-150 tons. Bump it up to $5 million and you're still looking at just $33-$50 per kg. There won't be any hobbling, and you can link SpaceX's current success to an early cash infusion from cargo launches to the ISS for NASA. With cost per kg under $100, there will be a flood of new private space ventures. NASA's safety standards will be largely irrelevant.
SpaceX can get astronauts to the ISS next week if needed. Eventually they will make it through all the red tape and deliver some astronauts. Hopefully by March to May 2020. It will be a sideshow, but it represents a prestige moment for the company and gets them some experience with launching people into space before they do it with Starship.
Point of fact, it doesn't appear that 10,000 satellites [wikipedia.org] have been launched yet worldwide. Although that will soon change.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by bradley13 on Monday November 18 2019, @01:36PM
Ok, I stand corrected on the numbmer. Also surprised.
Meanwhile, if you don't know it, here's a great site with live data on all known satellites: StuffIn.Space [stuffin.space]
Everyone is somebody else's weirdo.