Re: Why is the CEV so heavy?



Rand Simberg wrote:


> I'm not aware of anything written, but I remember
> numbers like one in ten thousand. We actually had
> some internal studies at Rockwell that indicated
> much lower numbers (i.e., higher probability of loss)
> not out of bed with the post-Challenger estimates,
> but they weren't allowed to be discussed in polite
>(which is to say, NASA and senior management) company.

Interesting, though not surprising. :( Internal contractor
studies are probably unrecoverable, but perhaps it would
be worthwhile to FOIA NASA for shuttle safety estimates made
in the early days. Even a negative response ("We can't find
any.") would be informative.

.