I once asked the Curator of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., “Do you think NASA will exist in 20 years?”
I assumed her response would be swift and affirmative. Instead, she hesitated. Then, in a soft, confident voice, she answered:
“I’m not so sure, but I certainly hope so.”
Most NASA insiders assume NASA will exist for forever. I’m not sure we should assume anything. NASA didn’t exist in 1950. Who’s to say it will exist in 2050?
Wayne Hale, retired Flight Director and Program Manager for the Space Shuttle, said this:
“To make NASA into the extraordinarily effective organization it once was and could be again will require significant work to transform it. [...] Success in NASA’s endeavors is hobbled by three structural and cultural problems: (1) inter-center rivalry, (2) mind-numbing bureaucracy, and (3) a paralyzing cultural requirement for perfection in all things.” (*)
Hale said that over seven years ago.
NASA is at a crossroads. What we do next will determine whether we continue to exist or become irrelevant in the space exploration arena. Time is of the essence.
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— David
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