I just wanted to give a thumbs up to NASA who have really turned things around.

It has now been 17 years since NASA launched unsuccessful mission beyond low Earth orbit.

The 1990s were a “mixed” period for NASA, as efficiency drives led to corner-cutting and a culture of covering up problems for fear of missing deadlines. Quality control was neglected. The “Faster, Better, Cheaper” under administrator Daniel Goldin was later derided with the epigram: “Faster, Better, Cheaper: choose any two”.

The 1992 Mars Observer (which admittedly was being constructed before Goldin took the reigns) stopped communicating during the approach to Mars. The cause is now thought to be a leak, fundamentally due to incorrect choice of engine.

This was happily followed up in 1996 with two successful missions: Pathfinder/Sojourner and Mars Global Surveyor.

There was then a bad run: Mars Climate Orbiter, which famously failed due to unit conversion problems, Deep Space 2 and Mars Polar Lander were all unsuccessful. MPL and DS2 were both launched in January 1999 and lost contact in December 1999.

Deep Space 1, launched in 1998, was also mostly a failure. It did demonstrate solar electric propulsion but completely failed to image the asteroid due to a pointing error. It went on in an extended mission with a flyby of a comet so it partly redeemed itself.

NASA reviewed and renewed their practices. Sometimes this has led to missions being delayed, but while delays are bad and can be costly, obviously they are better than going ahead when unsure.

Another mission approved and designed in the Goldin era was the CONTOUR mission, designed to visit three comets and image their nuclei. It ultimately launched in 2002 and apparently disintegrated soon after the ignition of the solid rocket booster to send it to its first target. It appears that it failed structurally due to heating from the booster. That was NASA’s last failed mission beyond Earth orbit.

It’s been a cavalcade of success since 2000. Just to Mars NASA has had Mars Odyssey, the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, Recon Orbiter, the Phoenix lander, the Curiosity rover, Maven and now Insight. NASA has five pieces of operational hardware at Mars right now (sadly, Opportunity has gone quiet for six months and is probably done.)

Elsewhere NASA has had the Dawn mission to Ceres and Vesta, the Messenger probe to Mercury, a dozen successful lunar missions, the New Horizons mission the Pluto and beyond, Cassini/Huygens, Juno, Parker Solar Probe, the Stardust sample-return mission to a comet, Deep Impact etc.

It’s been a tremendous run.

dv said:

I just wanted to give a thumbs up to NASA who have really turned things around.

It has now been 17 years since NASA launched unsuccessful mission beyond low Earth orbit.

The 1990s were a “mixed” period for NASA, as efficiency drives led to corner-cutting and a culture of covering up problems for fear of missing deadlines. Quality control was neglected. The “Faster, Better, Cheaper” under administrator Daniel Goldin was later derided with the epigram: “Faster, Better, Cheaper: choose any two”.

The 1992 Mars Observer (which admittedly was being constructed before Goldin took the reigns) stopped communicating during the approach to Mars. The cause is now thought to be a leak, fundamentally due to incorrect choice of engine.

This was happily followed up in 1996 with two successful missions: Pathfinder/Sojourner and Mars Global Surveyor.

There was then a bad run: Mars Climate Orbiter, which famously failed due to unit conversion problems, Deep Space 2 and Mars Polar Lander were all unsuccessful. MPL and DS2 were both launched in January 1999 and lost contact in December 1999.

Deep Space 1, launched in 1998, was also mostly a failure. It did demonstrate solar electric propulsion but completely failed to image the asteroid due to a pointing error. It went on in an extended mission with a flyby of a comet so it partly redeemed itself.

NASA reviewed and renewed their practices. Sometimes this has led to missions being delayed, but while delays are bad and can be costly, obviously they are better than going ahead when unsure.

Another mission approved and designed in the Goldin era was the CONTOUR mission, designed to visit three comets and image their nuclei. It ultimately launched in 2002 and apparently disintegrated soon after the ignition of the solid rocket booster to send it to its first target. It appears that it failed structurally due to heating from the booster. That was NASA’s last failed mission beyond Earth orbit.

It’s been a cavalcade of success since 2000. Just to Mars NASA has had Mars Odyssey, the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, Recon Orbiter, the Phoenix lander, the Curiosity rover, Maven and now Insight. NASA has five pieces of operational hardware at Mars right now (sadly, Opportunity has gone quiet for six months and is probably done.)

Elsewhere NASA has had the Dawn mission to Ceres and Vesta, the Messenger probe to Mercury, a dozen successful lunar missions, the New Horizons mission the Pluto and beyond, Cassini/Huygens, Juno, Parker Solar Probe, the Stardust sample-return mission to a comet, Deep Impact etc.

It’s been a tremendous run.

BC has been keeping them on their toes.

Peak Warming Man said:

dv said:

I just wanted to give a thumbs up to NASA who have really turned things around.

It has now been 17 years since NASA launched unsuccessful mission beyond low Earth orbit.

The 1990s were a “mixed” period for NASA, as efficiency drives led to corner-cutting and a culture of covering up problems for fear of missing deadlines. Quality control was neglected. The “Faster, Better, Cheaper” under administrator Daniel Goldin was later derided with the epigram: “Faster, Better, Cheaper: choose any two”.

The 1992 Mars Observer (which admittedly was being constructed before Goldin took the reigns) stopped communicating during the approach to Mars. The cause is now thought to be a leak, fundamentally due to incorrect choice of engine.

This was happily followed up in 1996 with two successful missions: Pathfinder/Sojourner and Mars Global Surveyor.

There was then a bad run: Mars Climate Orbiter, which famously failed due to unit conversion problems, Deep Space 2 and Mars Polar Lander were all unsuccessful. MPL and DS2 were both launched in January 1999 and lost contact in December 1999.

Deep Space 1, launched in 1998, was also mostly a failure. It did demonstrate solar electric propulsion but completely failed to image the asteroid due to a pointing error. It went on in an extended mission with a flyby of a comet so it partly redeemed itself.

NASA reviewed and renewed their practices. Sometimes this has led to missions being delayed, but while delays are bad and can be costly, obviously they are better than going ahead when unsure.

Another mission approved and designed in the Goldin era was the CONTOUR mission, designed to visit three comets and image their nuclei. It ultimately launched in 2002 and apparently disintegrated soon after the ignition of the solid rocket booster to send it to its first target. It appears that it failed structurally due to heating from the booster. That was NASA’s last failed mission beyond Earth orbit.

It’s been a cavalcade of success since 2000. Just to Mars NASA has had Mars Odyssey, the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, Recon Orbiter, the Phoenix lander, the Curiosity rover, Maven and now Insight. NASA has five pieces of operational hardware at Mars right now (sadly, Opportunity has gone quiet for six months and is probably done.)

Elsewhere NASA has had the Dawn mission to Ceres and Vesta, the Messenger probe to Mercury, a dozen successful lunar missions, the New Horizons mission the Pluto and beyond, Cassini/Huygens, Juno, Parker Solar Probe, the Stardust sample-return mission to a comet, Deep Impact etc.

It’s been a tremendous run.

BC has been keeping them on their toes.

The current POTUS is seeing to it that they have a good rest.

so they aren’t taking into account Nowak and her attempted murder and kidnapping… ground incidents don’t count

Arts said:

so they aren’t taking into account Nowak and her attempted murder and kidnapping… ground incidents don’t count

The crazy nappy drive incident.

Peak Warming Man said:

Arts said:

so they aren’t taking into account Nowak and her attempted murder and kidnapping… ground incidents don’t count

The crazy nappy drive incident.

what goes on on the ground, stays on the ground…

Arts said:

so they aren’t taking into account Nowak and her attempted murder and kidnapping… ground incidents don’t count

Nowak never went, nor planned to go, beyond low Earth orbit, which is the criterion I placed on this analysis, which is specifically about deep space exploration.

Peak Warming Man said:

dv said:

I just wanted to give a thumbs up to NASA who have really turned things around.

It has now been 17 years since NASA launched unsuccessful mission beyond low Earth orbit.

The 1990s were a “mixed” period for NASA, as efficiency drives led to corner-cutting and a culture of covering up problems for fear of missing deadlines. Quality control was neglected. The “Faster, Better, Cheaper” under administrator Daniel Goldin was later derided with the epigram: “Faster, Better, Cheaper: choose any two”.

The 1992 Mars Observer (which admittedly was being constructed before Goldin took the reigns) stopped communicating during the approach to Mars. The cause is now thought to be a leak, fundamentally due to incorrect choice of engine.

This was happily followed up in 1996 with two successful missions: Pathfinder/Sojourner and Mars Global Surveyor.

There was then a bad run: Mars Climate Orbiter, which famously failed due to unit conversion problems, Deep Space 2 and Mars Polar Lander were all unsuccessful. MPL and DS2 were both launched in January 1999 and lost contact in December 1999.

Deep Space 1, launched in 1998, was also mostly a failure. It did demonstrate solar electric propulsion but completely failed to image the asteroid due to a pointing error. It went on in an extended mission with a flyby of a comet so it partly redeemed itself.

NASA reviewed and renewed their practices. Sometimes this has led to missions being delayed, but while delays are bad and can be costly, obviously they are better than going ahead when unsure.

Another mission approved and designed in the Goldin era was the CONTOUR mission, designed to visit three comets and image their nuclei. It ultimately launched in 2002 and apparently disintegrated soon after the ignition of the solid rocket booster to send it to its first target. It appears that it failed structurally due to heating from the booster. That was NASA’s last failed mission beyond Earth orbit.

It’s been a cavalcade of success since 2000. Just to Mars NASA has had Mars Odyssey, the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, Recon Orbiter, the Phoenix lander, the Curiosity rover, Maven and now Insight. NASA has five pieces of operational hardware at Mars right now (sadly, Opportunity has gone quiet for six months and is probably done.)

Elsewhere NASA has had the Dawn mission to Ceres and Vesta, the Messenger probe to Mercury, a dozen successful lunar missions, the New Horizons mission the Pluto and beyond, Cassini/Huygens, Juno, Parker Solar Probe, the Stardust sample-return mission to a comet, Deep Impact etc.

It’s been a tremendous run.

BC has been keeping them on their toes.

You jest sir but my numerous letters and emails on suggestions on how to improve are very well received and my sleuthing told them before it even happened that some Ruskkie would try to sabotage the ISS and blame the Yanks.

>>>dv said:

I just wanted to give a thumbs up to NASA who have really turned things around. It has now been 17 years since NASA launched unsuccessful mission beyond low Earth orbit. The 1990s were a “mixed” period for NASA, as efficiency drives led to corner-cutting and a culture of covering up problems for fear of missing deadlines. Quality control was neglected. The “Faster, Better, Cheaper” under administrator Daniel Goldin was later derided with the epigram: “Faster, Better, Cheaper: choose any two”. The 1992 Mars Observer (which admittedly was being constructed before Goldin took the reigns) stopped communicating during the approach to Mars. The cause is now thought to be a leak, fundamentally due to incorrect choice of engine. This was happily followed up in 1996 with two successful missions: Pathfinder/Sojourner and Mars Global Surveyor. There was then a bad run: Mars Climate Orbiter, which famously failed due to unit conversion problems, Deep Space 2 and Mars Polar Lander were all unsuccessful. MPL and DS2 were both launched in January 1999 and lost contact in December 1999. Deep Space 1, launched in 1998, was also mostly a failure. It did demonstrate solar electric propulsion but completely failed to image the asteroid due to a pointing error. It went on in an extended mission with a flyby of a comet so it partly redeemed itself. NASA reviewed and renewed their practices. Sometimes this has led to missions being delayed, but while delays are bad and can be costly, obviously they are better than going ahead when unsure. Another mission approved and designed in the Goldin era was the CONTOUR mission, designed to visit three comets and image their nuclei. It ultimately launched in 2002 and apparently disintegrated soon after the ignition of the solid rocket booster to send it to its first target. It appears that it failed structurally due to heating from the booster. That was NASA’s last failed mission beyond Earth orbit. It’s been a cavalcade of success since 2000. Just to Mars NASA has had Mars Odyssey, the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, Recon Orbiter, the Phoenix lander, the Curiosity rover, Maven and now Insight. NASA has five pieces of operational hardware at Mars right now (sadly, Opportunity has gone quiet for six months and is probably done.) Elsewhere NASA has had the Dawn mission to Ceres and Vesta, the Messenger probe to Mercury, a dozen successful lunar missions, the New Horizons mission the Pluto and beyond, Cassini/Huygens, Juno, Parker Solar Probe, the Stardust sample-return mission to a comet, Deep Impact etc. It’s been a tremendous run.

===

Yes, but more testing should have been done, and Daniel Goldin should not have been appointed.

The Faster, Better, Cheaper option does not work with space craft.

Tau.Neutrino said:

>>>dv said:

I just wanted to give a thumbs up to NASA who have really turned things around. It has now been 17 years since NASA launched unsuccessful mission beyond low Earth orbit. The 1990s were a “mixed” period for NASA, as efficiency drives led to corner-cutting and a culture of covering up problems for fear of missing deadlines. Quality control was neglected. The “Faster, Better, Cheaper” under administrator Daniel Goldin was later derided with the epigram: “Faster, Better, Cheaper: choose any two”. The 1992 Mars Observer (which admittedly was being constructed before Goldin took the reigns) stopped communicating during the approach to Mars. The cause is now thought to be a leak, fundamentally due to incorrect choice of engine. This was happily followed up in 1996 with two successful missions: Pathfinder/Sojourner and Mars Global Surveyor. There was then a bad run: Mars Climate Orbiter, which famously failed due to unit conversion problems, Deep Space 2 and Mars Polar Lander were all unsuccessful. MPL and DS2 were both launched in January 1999 and lost contact in December 1999. Deep Space 1, launched in 1998, was also mostly a failure. It did demonstrate solar electric propulsion but completely failed to image the asteroid due to a pointing error. It went on in an extended mission with a flyby of a comet so it partly redeemed itself. NASA reviewed and renewed their practices. Sometimes this has led to missions being delayed, but while delays are bad and can be costly, obviously they are better than going ahead when unsure. Another mission approved and designed in the Goldin era was the CONTOUR mission, designed to visit three comets and image their nuclei. It ultimately launched in 2002 and apparently disintegrated soon after the ignition of the solid rocket booster to send it to its first target. It appears that it failed structurally due to heating from the booster. That was NASA’s last failed mission beyond Earth orbit. It’s been a cavalcade of success since 2000. Just to Mars NASA has had Mars Odyssey, the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, Recon Orbiter, the Phoenix lander, the Curiosity rover, Maven and now Insight. NASA has five pieces of operational hardware at Mars right now (sadly, Opportunity has gone quiet for six months and is probably done.) Elsewhere NASA has had the Dawn mission to Ceres and Vesta, the Messenger probe to Mercury, a dozen successful lunar missions, the New Horizons mission the Pluto and beyond, Cassini/Huygens, Juno, Parker Solar Probe, the Stardust sample-return mission to a comet, Deep Impact etc. It’s been a tremendous run.

===

Yes, but more testing should have been done, and Daniel Goldin should not have been appointed.

The Faster, Better, Cheaper option does not work with space craft.

Not if you want them to work.
What a disappointment to propose, design, build and launch a spacecraft and it then fails, probably 10 years or more of your life down the drain and that may not even include the travel time.

Cymek said:

What a disappointment to propose, design, build and launch a spacecraft and it then fails, probably 10 years or more of your life down the drain and that may not even include the travel time.

At first I read that as “time travel”

> The Faster, Better, Cheaper option does not work with space craft.

Can work. The slower original gave us Voyager, which is still working 40 years later.

But the WISE spacecraft is also an enormous success created after the “faster, better, cheaper” model. It only lasted … hold on … it’s been reactivated. It was active for 2 years, switched off, but has since been switched back on and has been active for a further five years. Successes too many to list here.

As for 17 years without incident, it’s more accurate to say 17 years without any total failures.

Make that 14 years. The NASA Genesis spacecraft crash-landed on on September 8, 2004, which is only 14 years ago.

What about other space agencies?
Phobos (both of them) failed. – Roscosmos
Philae failed – ESA
Beagle failed – UK space agency
Hayabusa (the original) failed – JAXA
Jul 3, 2017 – The Long March 5 launch failed to reach orbit – CNSA
Apr 3, 2018 – India lost contact with new communications satellite – ISRO
NASA’s partial failures include Galileo at Jupiter (antenna failure), Juno at Jupiter (orbit failure), New Horizons at Ultima Thule (pointing failure).