Trump: "NASA Used To Have Crabgrass On The Runways"
When asked about space exploration moments ago Pres. Trump said "Our facilities were virtually closed up. There was crabgrass growing on the runways. We will be going to Mars and stopping at the Moon. We've already been there but then we'll head to Mars." #artemis #NASA #Moon2024 pic.twitter.com/8me3409apa
— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) September 20, 2019
Exaggeration as usual but I wonder what plans for using the full 15,000 ft length of KSC runway. The biggest upset I have is this intense focus on Mars (which will always be 20 years away from a human landing). In general this is looking for a lunar exit strategy before deciding a lunar lander design.
It wouldn’t take 15,000 feet, but SpaceX customers could use it for payload deliveries. With the asperational launch rates and the implied payload flow, customers will be delivering to the pad. That approach will not be pre-integration with the launch vehicle, either in the VAB or earlier. It’s more like, “Hi, can I check my trunk at the curb? It’s tagged “not needed on voyage” if that helps.”
Maybe he was referring to NASA’s Ames Research Center. There even the streets and parking lots are being over run with weeds since the Navy left.
And jackrabbits.
Can’t be ARC, that center doesn’t get much attention like KSC. There are some lots with weeds and buildings with mildew remaining. West portion of center replaced with Army facilities, north has extensive construction of new Google buildings, and lot of rework of runways by Planetary Ventures (all part of Research Park). I guess how it is evolving since when Navy had lots of P3s at Moffett and NASA had considerable collection of research aircraft (also lots more people). Nowadays airfield being populated with business jets. “McMoons” is now Moon Mart, you can get snacks, coffee, etc. until 7 pm.
NASA portion is becoming more occupied by turkeys (the bird that is). They walk around like they own the place, slowly cross roads causing traffic backups.
They could build tents on the runway and use it to stage Starship parts ?
SLF will at the least be used by X-37B and Sierra Nevada’s Cargo Dream Chaser (ISS Commercial Resupply Services 2)
Runways? Where the Starship is going there are no runways! (With apologies to Doc Brown…)?
Best of all, the Martians will pay for it, bigly!
Perfect comment! 🙂
The entire comment claimed that “facilities” were virtually closed up and the one example was the runway. With this administration people accept that trump says lots and lots of lies and this is one of them. KSC has been busy with launches, we have exploration of Mars proceeding, MSFC is busy, GSFC is busy, JSC is busy – people should realize that trump is telling people that NASA was “virtually closed up” until he arrived.
Yeah, he’s a big fat liar but he was right about the runway at KSC. They use it for testing race cars now.
chuckc192000 So that is all that they use it for? They didn’t land an X-37 or two on it? They don’t use it for landing other aircraft like the Starfighters that have flown off of it?
So you are agreeing that NASA facilities were virtually closed up? Like the ISS control center here in Houston? Like the SLS testing? Like the VAB and the Orion testing and all of that? He mentioned one example and that was wrong but you agree with the rest?
No, I was just saying he was more or less right about the runway. Of course he was wrong about everything else.
Ok, hopefully we can get the real story out there more. No one is going to show trump the facts but if the rest of us are better informed we are more likely to be able to get good policy in place.
How did ya’ll vote for this guy?
Ask @duheagle
Well, there are plenty of Trump supporters active hereabouts, and I am happy to see them (free country, etc.), but like you, I scratch my head! I see some making cogent comments about scienc-y stuff and at the same time going off the rails on politic-y stuff! Certainly makes an interesting place to comment.
And of course, the same could be same about me, and probably has…:-)
More (too much?) on rundown NASA facilities,
“The Houston [37] building where Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong and his colleagues were quarantined after their 1969 moon mission has fallen into disrepair and will be demolished, NASA said. … and replaced by an energy-efficient building”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk…