Has NASA made the right choice in selecting Lockheed Martin to build the spacecrafrafts that will go to Mars?

Question

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/09/01/tech/main1959685.shtml

Answer 1

Hard to say without seeing the proprietary material in the rejected proposal. Given some of Boeing's recent missteps in both being prime on big contracts and corruption it is quite possible that LM is the better choice. (See sources for examples).

LM has never built manned spacecraft before but is tops in unmanned and also unmatched in heat shield technology. This is the first system that will have a replacable heat shield, so this may have been an important factor.

LM is also currently the company building high performance military aircraft, which likely have life support technology that can be leveraged into the Orion.

LM also had a team working on the next NASA manned space transport project in the form of the Orbital Space Plane, which was scrapped in favor of the CEV strategy. http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=12774

ETHICS at LM:
Scandals nearly destroyed Lockheed in the late 70's and early 80's. Since then the company takes ethical conduct VERY seriously. All the way up to the VP level I am confident that these people believe the ethics they preach to rank and file engineers like myself. At the exec VP level (leaders of the sub-companies like Space Systems, Aeronautics, Integrated Systems and Solutions) and up I can't say if they really believe it or pay lip service. I don't have intimate contact with those folks like I do the others. I merely have to have faith. The internal argument is that good ethics is key to good business (look at Boeing, look at the 1970's Lockheed scandal, not to mention the need to please the customer.)

Lockheed has learned it lesson (though I worry a recent boiling down of the 7 ethical standards to 3 *might* be a sign of a change in the wind), and Boeing might have, but it is not clear since they are only starting down the path Lockheed began traveling over 20 years ago.

I won't get into a discussion about spending priorities by the federal goverment as that is beyond the scope of this question. My perception is that LM responds to customer requests and problems a heckuva lot more than engineers government policy itself.


I have been a midlevel LM engineer for 3 years and hear about ethics policies every time I turn around.

Answer 2

The company that gave the world the U2 and the SR71, spy planes. The company that invented the F22 Raptor and the F35 Joint Strike Fighter. A company who's engineering genius has done so much to further our understanding of our solar system and the universe. I would say yes.

Answer 3

I think it is a waste if money, especially when Bush cut widows of Iraqi soldiers from $25,000 to 13,000! In addition Bush cut Veterans Hospitals by 10 Billion!

We can send them to war, but we give their money to Lockheed Martin, another bunch of crooks, to build something that isn't even needed!

Answer 4

Was always going to Lockheed Martin...they give the biggest kick backs :-)

Answer 5

using fact earth is sh!t i might pass finding on the policies on mars am i able to drink how many human beings there Any non secular nutters goin what's it value and various greater questions might want answering

Answer 6

It might take their mind off building inter-continental ballistic missle for a bit

Answer 7

Looks good to me

Answer 8

Probably not. But then, there probably wasn't a 'correct' choice anywhere anyway.


Doug

Answer 9

yes

Answer 10

cool