Boeing slams the Falcon Heavy rocket as “too small”

[–] chmod 3 points (+3|-0)

I'm no fan of Boeing (except for their aircraft) but I have to agree with them here. What SpacEx is doing is great but they are no where near getting manned rockets approved by NASA. Nor does the Falcon Heavy have the payload capacity needed for meaningful Mars missions.

I work on Redstone Arsenal where the Marshall Space Flight Center is located. All my NASA buddies feel the same. SpacEx is good for LEO and even GEO payloads but that's all they have right now.

[–] JoeKerr 2 points (+2|-0)

I went to UAH...all my engineering friends think SpaceX is eventually going to fail due to cutting corners and leading to poor QC.

[–] Owlchemy [OP] 2 points (+2|-0)

Everyone has flaws ... delays ... limitations. I'm happy to see the commercial aspect going full bore though. I think that probably is the future of spaceflight. The government mismanages so much, plus they overpay their contractors for services a commercial outfit can do more efficiently and cheaper. But that's just my opinion.

[–] chmod 2 points (+2|-0)

Well, as a hideously overpaid contractor myself I can't disagree but NASA will never allow a manned spaceflight from a commercial outfit where they weren't able to see every nook and cranny of the design and build process.

[–] Owlchemy [OP] 1 points (+1|-0)

You're right about that - LOL. They own space and won't let anyone forget it (at least from a US perspective).

[–] InnocentBystander 0 points (+0|-0)

Words. When's the launch?
Once they start slinging things into space they can start talking.
Until then, back to work!

the "most powerful rocket ever built"—has no real timetable. Certainly, it seems unlikely to fly within the next decade.
By then, the proposed 130-metric-ton SLS may well be superseded by the Big Falcon Rocket under development by SpaceX or Blue Origin's proposed New Armstrong booster.

In addition Boeing, like all government aerospace contractors, are way way more expensive.
They are just trying to get their brand into the same headline as a real space outfit. Marketing

[–] Owlchemy [OP] 2 points (+2|-0)

In the interest of full disclosure ... I'm retired Boeing Space/Missile guy - LOL. So am honor bound to toss out the company line when I see it. It keeps the retirement check coming in. (But don't disagree with ya).

[–] InnocentBystander 2 points (+2|-0)

I will admit that they have made great achievements in past, and have a great engineering crew still.
But they are often over-priced and milk the public purse. And they've also been lagging behind expectations lately.
Especially with Space.

[–] Owlchemy [OP] 2 points (+2|-0)

Again, I can't disagree. Military contractors have always been overpriced. They underbid the competition and then overrun the budget and the government always bails them out. It's a system that has always sucked. Part of the 'swamp'.

[–] chmod 1 points (+1|-0)

You wouldn't be in my neck of the woods, would ya? Huntsville?

[–] Owlchemy [OP] 0 points (+0|-0)

No, Utah ... I was a Minuteman guy all my life ... AF, Rockwell/Autonetics, then we were bought out by Boeing (our enemy at one time - LOL). Worked at both Vandenberg for twenty plus years, then the moved me to Hill AFB. Retired here.

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Boeing slams the Falcon Heavy rocket as “too small”

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