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NASA Won't Release DART Mission Report
Yahoo News (via AP) ^ | Fri Apr 14, 10:08 PM ET | ALICIA CHANG, AP Science Writer

Posted on 04/15/2006 3:25:10 PM PDT by raygun

Saying the information is too sensitive, NASA announced Friday that it will not release its report on the failed rendezvous of two spacecraft in what would have been the first such maneuver without human intervention.

[snip]

From the DART web-site:

After a successful rendezvous, acquisition of the target spacecraft, and approach to within approximately 300 feet, DART placed itself in the retirement phase before completing all planned proximity operations, ending the mission prematurely.

From the original AP article:

An initial analysis found that DART suffered a fuel problem, but engineers did not detect a fuel leak. The mission manager also has said the robotic vehicle detected navigational errors with its on-board computers.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Technical
KEYWORDS: 110million; automatedrendezvous; dart; nasa; orbitanomaly; topsecret

1 posted on 04/15/2006 3:25:14 PM PDT by raygun
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To: KevinDavis

ping


2 posted on 04/15/2006 3:25:33 PM PDT by raygun
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To: raygun
As far as I know, they legally cannot keep their activities secret. Sound like they need to be sued under the FOIA just on principle.
3 posted on 04/15/2006 3:30:05 PM PDT by Vince Ferrer
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To: raygun
Saying the information is too sensitive, NASA announced Friday that it will not release its report

It's about damn time!  We've been giving this stuff away for WAY too long.  We need to know what went wrong and how to fix it.  THEY don't need to know jack, except that we have figured out how to smoke their satellites, or just sit there, quietly, listening in.

Thank you Mike Griffin.  I love it when a professional takes charge. 

4 posted on 04/15/2006 3:30:17 PM PDT by Phsstpok (There are lies, damned lies, statistics and presentation graphics, in descending order of truth)
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To: Phsstpok

agreed.


5 posted on 04/15/2006 3:32:46 PM PDT by Third Order
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To: Phsstpok
Your right. That pesky FOIA thing just gets in the way of spending tax dollars in secret without having to go through that hassle of a process to actually have things classified as secret.

Let's just let every government bureaucrat decide for himself when us little peons can and cannot see what's done with our own damned money.

Professional my Aunt Fanny. He's probably just trying to cover for some flunky who forgot how to convert feet to meters again.

L

6 posted on 04/15/2006 3:34:04 PM PDT by Lurker (Anyone who doesn't demand an immediate end to illegal immigration is aiding the slave trade.)
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To: RightWhale; Brett66; xrp; gdc314; anymouse; NonZeroSum; jimkress; discostu; The_Victor; ...

7 posted on 04/15/2006 3:43:45 PM PDT by KevinDavis (http://www.cafepress.com/spacefuture)
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To: Lurker
HL Mencken, huh?

OK, here's a few for you:

Criticism is prejudice made plausible.

Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard.

or how about this one, applied to your position

Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats.

That seems to nicely summarize your position.  Well, if you come at Mike Griffin to slit his throat, or at me to slit mine, I've got some Remington 12 gauge waiting for ya, HL, buddy. 

FOIA my ass. 


8 posted on 04/15/2006 3:46:30 PM PDT by Phsstpok (There are lies, damned lies, statistics and presentation graphics, in descending order of truth)
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To: Lurker
From your tone "...that pesky FOIA thing..." I assume you support everyone knowing our technologically advanced business. If it was just a ballsup, so be it, spell it out. If we would have revealed something by "spelling it out" then it is fine with me that they just shhhh.

Sometimes, you DO have to trust the government, no matter how much it pains you.
9 posted on 04/15/2006 4:00:58 PM PDT by tongue-tied
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To: Phsstpok
I've perused your reading list and I've come to the conclusion that if you weren't such jackass we might actually become friends.

I don't want to slit Mr. Griffins throat, at least not yet anyway. I do want him to release reports that were paid for by the lowly taxpayer.

I don't seem to recall just exactly when Mr. Griffin was authorized by Congress to declare things Classified when it suits him. Perhaps you can help me with that.

Until such time, if the taxpayers funded it the taxpayers can have access to it.

Unless of course you want every government functionary to decide all on their own when they can be held accountable for their stewardship of taxpayer money.

L

10 posted on 04/15/2006 4:15:22 PM PDT by Lurker (Anyone who doesn't demand an immediate end to illegal immigration is aiding the slave trade.)
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To: Lurker
According to the Wiki:

There is an open debate between the Department of State and industries regulated by ITAR concerning how harmful the regulatory restrictions are for business. The Department of State insists that ITAR has limited effect and provides a security benefit to the nation that industry must bear. However, many companies within the affected industries disagree and argue that ITAR is stifling U.S. trade. They argue that ITAR is a significant trade barrier that acts as a significant negative subsidy, weakening U.S. industries' ability to compete. U.S. companies point to announcements in Europe by EADS and Alcatel promoting their "ITAR-free" satellites and defense items [emphasis mine]. Currently, the Department of State dismisses the burden on industry as minor compared to the security provided by ITAR. They also view the announcements of "ITAR-free" items as anecdotal and not systematic.

Until a few years ago, cryptography was considered a munition, and therefor controlled by ITAR. That is until some professor in KaliforNia published a cryptography algorithm that was hack proof on the Internet.

11 posted on 04/15/2006 4:28:28 PM PDT by raygun
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To: Lurker
I've come to the conclusion that if you weren't such jackass we might actually become friends.

Just damn!!!!!!

On that basis, as one jackass to another, I offer friendship (not agreement, just a willingness to disagree and still be friends).

I'm still laughing.  Your post actually hurt me.....!!!!!!!!! (in a good way, from laughing!) <g>

Brilliantly phrased post.  Of course, you're still wrong..... ;^> 

On a pedestrian and purely technical basis (and I don't disagree with your theoretical point), Griffin has only the authority granted him by his charter as head of an executive branch of government as granted by Congress and, in addition, those powers explicitely granted him in this regard by the President of the United States.  From my understanding of the realtionship between President Bush and Mr Griffin I am placing personal trust in George W. Bush.  I trust him.  That is all I have to say on that matter. 

Do take care and a blessed Easter and joyous Passover to you.

 

12 posted on 04/15/2006 4:35:56 PM PDT by Phsstpok (There are lies, damned lies, statistics and presentation graphics, in descending order of truth)
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To: raygun
What could so secret about a robot spacecraft docking test?
13 posted on 04/15/2006 5:09:25 PM PDT by manwiththehands ("'Rule of law'? We don't need no stinkin' rule of law! We want amnesty, muchacho!")
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To: manwiththehands

NASA may be using classified technology developed by DoD.


14 posted on 04/15/2006 6:20:36 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: Vince Ferrer
As far as I know, they legally cannot keep their activities secret. Sound like they need to be sued under the FOIA just on principle. In a time of war we do not reveal ANY weaknesses. To do so would approach treason.
15 posted on 04/16/2006 6:41:48 AM PDT by Vaquero ("An armed society is a polite society" Robert A. Heinlein)
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To: SunkenCiv; manwiththehands; Phsstpok; Lurker; tongue-tied; Third Order; Vince Ferrer; Vaquero
update on this
16 posted on 05/15/2006 10:49:58 PM PDT by raygun
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