Re: Comparing US/USSR space programs

From: Christina Peterson (tinapetrsn_at_yahoo.com)
Date: 10/17/04 

Date: Sun, 17 Oct 2004 13:18:47 -0800

One of the big differences between the US program and the USSR program, was
that USSR (and in the US, von Braun) put emphasis on power and rockets.
They wanted more power, more livable conditions, more margin for error, etc.
They were willing to do more experimentation and lose more lives. The thing
that allowed to US to pull into first place was the politicos were convinced
to go ahead and put men in space in a little capsule, using much less power.
Because of this we didn't have to compete with their superior rockets. We
put together a race car that could beat their 18 wheeler. Our space program
was not at all "socialist-style", but the government did give more freedom
to their scientists and astronauts to try alternatives. You can't make
progress if you only allow "successful" products to be started. That would
mean nothing new could be tried.

Tina

"Monte Davis" <monte.davis@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:n7btm0l7lgu6mtrvh738aktpeikgtm3tve@4ax.com...
> Several times I've run across wisecracks that the US space program of
> the 1960s (and after?) was socialist-style -- government-run,
> centralized, keeping unproductive centers alive, etc... while the
> competing designers and design teams of the USSR's program looked in
> some ways more like haphazard free enterprise.
>
> Does anyone know who first made this point? Many thanks for citations
> if you have 'em.
>
> -Monte Davis

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