Yukoner, Farren: according to his obit in the Washington Post, the remark about the lowest bidder was uttered by Wally Schirra after the Gemini 6 booster shut down its engines on the launch pad. The astronauts had to spend a very nervous several minutes wondering whether the rocket was still tied to the pad (in which case they could get out and try again a few days later) or unhooked and about to fall over (in which case they’d better pull the eject handle before the thing blew up). A reporter asked Schirra what he was thinking during those minutes, and his reply was that every part of the rocket was made by the lowest bidder.
As for the Shuttle, I’d suggest a look at the Smithsonian’s official history of the project, particularly Volume 1, “The Space Shuttle Decision.” The history makes it very clear that the entire design of the shuttle, including such dangerous compromises as the segmented solid boosters (Challenger), the delicate tiles (Columbia) and the lack of an escape system were dictated by the Nixon administration’s extremely tight-fisted Office of Management and Budget.
Nixon needed that extra dough to fund Liddy and his gang, not to mention those gazillion tons of bombs dropped on the ho chi min trail…..
now, THERE was money and lives well spent!
take the war budget and we’d have a base on the moon now.
puddleglum1066, was it also Nixon’s OMB who decided on Arrow Air (charter cargo carrier) to ferry troops back from Europe?
(known for cheapness, the airline critically failed to de-ice an aircraft, designated flight 1285, leaving Gander 1985/12/12–248 passengers and 8 crew were killed)
The Douglas A-3D Skywarrior didn’t have ejection seats and only had an ejection chute. Other than combat, the only times bad nasty things happen in flight are usually during takeoff and landing, and since they had to depend on gravity to clear the aircraft in an emergency, they needed at at least 600 feet to clear the aircraft and pull their ripcords, flight crews said A-3D meant “all three dead.” Just because something is mil spec doesn’t mean its the best.
margueritem over 15 years ago
A penny saved…
Sisyphos over 15 years ago
Holy afterburner, Broomie!
Yukoner over 15 years ago
So just imagine how the people orbiting in the space shuttle feel. Each part supplied by the lowest bidder.
farren over 15 years ago
Not true. NASA doesn’t go low-bid on their equipment.
D-i-c-e-R over 15 years ago
Does the international space station have any parts from China?
GJ_Jehosaphat over 15 years ago
Looks like she’s getting an early start to the 4th of July celebrations!
gjsjr41 over 15 years ago
I wanna know where she is buying the brooms. I want one. lol
lewisbower over 15 years ago
Can my wife get a bulk discount?
JanLC over 15 years ago
Keep it until after the 4th. Good fireworks.
linsonl over 15 years ago
How ‘bout my former mother-in-law?
puddleglum1066 over 15 years ago
Yukoner, Farren: according to his obit in the Washington Post, the remark about the lowest bidder was uttered by Wally Schirra after the Gemini 6 booster shut down its engines on the launch pad. The astronauts had to spend a very nervous several minutes wondering whether the rocket was still tied to the pad (in which case they could get out and try again a few days later) or unhooked and about to fall over (in which case they’d better pull the eject handle before the thing blew up). A reporter asked Schirra what he was thinking during those minutes, and his reply was that every part of the rocket was made by the lowest bidder.
As for the Shuttle, I’d suggest a look at the Smithsonian’s official history of the project, particularly Volume 1, “The Space Shuttle Decision.” The history makes it very clear that the entire design of the shuttle, including such dangerous compromises as the segmented solid boosters (Challenger), the delicate tiles (Columbia) and the lack of an escape system were dictated by the Nixon administration’s extremely tight-fisted Office of Management and Budget.
Nighthawks Premium Member over 15 years ago
Nixon needed that extra dough to fund Liddy and his gang, not to mention those gazillion tons of bombs dropped on the ho chi min trail….. now, THERE was money and lives well spent! take the war budget and we’d have a base on the moon now.
prasrinivara over 15 years ago
puddleglum1066, was it also Nixon’s OMB who decided on Arrow Air (charter cargo carrier) to ferry troops back from Europe?
(known for cheapness, the airline critically failed to de-ice an aircraft, designated flight 1285, leaving Gander 1985/12/12–248 passengers and 8 crew were killed)
bald over 15 years ago
my ex wife’s cousin got hers from the government surplus sales every spring, she was a witch with a capitol B
treered over 15 years ago
lowest bidder, liked the line out of ARMAGEDDON….
Skyhawk_maintainer over 15 years ago
The Douglas A-3D Skywarrior didn’t have ejection seats and only had an ejection chute. Other than combat, the only times bad nasty things happen in flight are usually during takeoff and landing, and since they had to depend on gravity to clear the aircraft in an emergency, they needed at at least 600 feet to clear the aircraft and pull their ripcords, flight crews said A-3D meant “all three dead.” Just because something is mil spec doesn’t mean its the best.
hansr over 15 years ago
Hey Bald: she would have gotten along beautifully with my ex mamma-in-law. I would prefer Broomie anyday.