NASA Runs Space, NOT Private Enterprise Companies

Fortunately, NASA still controls space and every other player must listen to the experts. SpaceX, Boeing and Blue Origin don’t fly without the NASA administrator's approval.

 

So when Boeing finally sent two astronauts to the space station in a capsule with helium leaks, it was with that approval. But when NASA said no to a return on an evidently damaged craft, a reluctant Boeing had to acquiesce.

But, now it has been revealed that executives from Boeing fiercely argued that NASA was being too cautious to require that those astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, would hitch a return ride on a SpaceX in February. “It was heated,” said a NASA executive familiar with the talks.

“Boeing was convinced that the Starliner was in good enough condition to bring the astronauts home, and NASA disagreed. Strongly disagreed. The thinking around here was that Boeing was being wildly irresponsible.”

And NASA was correct on inserting its superior position in the relationship. After all, had a tragedy occurred, would it be Boeing to be blamed or NASA?

Every reasonable person would agree that NASA would be blamed for that tragedy. Boeing may have a spacecraft division, but Boeing does not get to decide who can fly when or where. NASA has that final say.

I agree that the executives and team at Boeing are truly embarrassed for this failure. And I get why they argued so vociferously to stress their point. But space decisions MUST BE made by the senior partner. And that senior partner is NASA.

Perhaps, if Boeing wants to spend TRILLIONS of dollars (the amounts spent by the United States since 1959) to set up its own space program, complete with launch sites and propulsion filling stations, then go right ahead and make those wild and crazy decisions. It is a free market country.

But until then, sit down, shut up and learn the lessons NASA bitterly did when it lost nineteen souls over the last sixty-five plus years.