"So, Mr. Flight Controller guy, Where's all the NASA space posts?"
Written by Bob McCormick on 3/28/2008 06:27:00 PM
Good question.
Let me tell you what I will blog about and what I won't blog about.
I WON'T blog about heavy-duty stuff that I do at NASA. Yes, the work can be intense, but I also am doing this for a living. I will not be blogging about what I might have done on any particular week I am on console (other than in generalities). I MOST ASSUREDLY will not be blogging in any gossipy-sort of stuff - so even if I think Flight Director X is a flake or Astronaut Y is a jerk or co-worker Z is a bozo, you won't be reading about it in this blog.
Last time I checked, NASA has it's share of flakes, jerks, and bozos (and always has) - they are not unique relative to any organization of similar size. The jerks, flakes, and bozos are the vast minority and their antics do not require or deserve my reiteration here. Besides, I'm sure sometimes they think I'm a flake, jerk, and bozo - and sometimes, all at the same time. And who knows - they may be right!
I ALSO WILL NOT be blogging (at least, not directly) about any large-scale NASA policy. As many of the NASA folk would say, those decisions are "way above my pay grade". No sense ruminating about how they might not be my favorite decisions.
I WILL blog about what I see going on in the alt.space world. I think that what is happening there can lead to a renaissance (I know that's not the appropriate word, but you get the point) for the US aerospace industry and for our chances of making any kind of scaled-up spacefaring civilization.
That doesn't necessarily mean that NASA's doing the "wrong thing". From what I can tell, the alt. space efforts and the NASA efforts are not mutually exclusive - they are not an "either/or" proposition. As the Chinese might say, "Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom".
My main goal is not necessarily on how I personally can be an Astronaut. I applaud others who have this goal; however, my goal is focused on how to facilitate the space environment so that the probability of actually getting there goes up for everyone (of course, myself included). It may not be my generation, but it may be my kids' generation - if we can get our act together now.
I was on console when Bill Shepard was launched into orbit, as part of the first Expedition to ISS. On that day, as on other similar days, an American flag was raised on the roof of Mission Control. That flag is a symbol to remind us that there are Americans in orbit. The goal our FCT established that day was to assure that, from here on in, there will always be an American in orbit.
It's a hard goal to attain (and it takes forever to verify that you've done it!), but one I think that is worthy.
Let me tell you what I will blog about and what I won't blog about.
I WON'T blog about heavy-duty stuff that I do at NASA. Yes, the work can be intense, but I also am doing this for a living. I will not be blogging about what I might have done on any particular week I am on console (other than in generalities). I MOST ASSUREDLY will not be blogging in any gossipy-sort of stuff - so even if I think Flight Director X is a flake or Astronaut Y is a jerk or co-worker Z is a bozo, you won't be reading about it in this blog.
Last time I checked, NASA has it's share of flakes, jerks, and bozos (and always has) - they are not unique relative to any organization of similar size. The jerks, flakes, and bozos are the vast minority and their antics do not require or deserve my reiteration here. Besides, I'm sure sometimes they think I'm a flake, jerk, and bozo - and sometimes, all at the same time. And who knows - they may be right!
I ALSO WILL NOT be blogging (at least, not directly) about any large-scale NASA policy. As many of the NASA folk would say, those decisions are "way above my pay grade". No sense ruminating about how they might not be my favorite decisions.
I WILL blog about what I see going on in the alt.space world. I think that what is happening there can lead to a renaissance (I know that's not the appropriate word, but you get the point) for the US aerospace industry and for our chances of making any kind of scaled-up spacefaring civilization.
That doesn't necessarily mean that NASA's doing the "wrong thing". From what I can tell, the alt. space efforts and the NASA efforts are not mutually exclusive - they are not an "either/or" proposition. As the Chinese might say, "Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom".
My main goal is not necessarily on how I personally can be an Astronaut. I applaud others who have this goal; however, my goal is focused on how to facilitate the space environment so that the probability of actually getting there goes up for everyone (of course, myself included). It may not be my generation, but it may be my kids' generation - if we can get our act together now.
I was on console when Bill Shepard was launched into orbit, as part of the first Expedition to ISS. On that day, as on other similar days, an American flag was raised on the roof of Mission Control. That flag is a symbol to remind us that there are Americans in orbit. The goal our FCT established that day was to assure that, from here on in, there will always be an American in orbit.
It's a hard goal to attain (and it takes forever to verify that you've done it!), but one I think that is worthy.
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