Aucbvax.5105 fa.space utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!space Wed Nov 11 03:26:54 1981 SPACE Digest V2 #31 >From OTA@S1-A Wed Nov 11 02:49:29 1981 SPACE Digest Volume 2 : Issue 31 Today's Topics: Yet another scenario ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 10 Nov 1981 12:26:22-PST From: decvax!duke!unc!smb at Berkeley In-real-life: Steven M. Bellovin To: decvax!duke!unc!space@Berkeley Subject: Yet another scenario Consider the following scenario: NASA decides to turn shuttle operations over to a private firm, McDouglas Aircraft, even though the bids are unexpectedly high. The program limps along for two years, getting a fair amount of foregin business, but with McDouglas constantly asking for even more money. They claim to be developing an even better booster with engines made by another company. The engines are delayed, and the resulting losses drives McDouglas to bankruptcy. They appeal for government loan guarantees, citing the importance of the shuttle to the country. During Congressional hearings, it turns out that they won the original contract by engaging in bid-rigging, and most of their foreign business came from paying off government officials. In the meantime, a private firm is testing a new competitive fuel technology; unfortunately, there is a malfunction and an explosion. The town they're located in is severely damaged, and several residents are killed by the fumes. McDouglas's other competitor has developed a reasonable booster, but most of their funding has come from Libya. The effect of all these problems is a tremendous public outcry, resulting in a halt to most space-related projects in the U.S. Unlikely? I submit it's no more unlikely than the previous scenarios, and every incident I've mentioned is drawn directly from something that has happened in the aerospace industry recently. Let's move the rest of this discussion to POLI-SCI where it belongs. ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest ******************* ----------------------------------------------------------------- gopher://quux.org/ conversion by John Goerzen of http://communication.ucsd.edu/A-News/ This Usenet Oldnews Archive article may be copied and distributed freely, provided: 1. There is no money collected for the text(s) of the articles. 2. The following notice remains appended to each copy: The Usenet Oldnews Archive: Compilation Copyright (C) 1981, 1996 Bruce Jones, Henry Spencer, David Wiseman.