Re: Why is NASA still giving away flights on its own vomit comet?

Concerning the statement that Joe Strout made, "If NASA feels the
need to spend taxpayer money on giving joyrides to students, why must
it still use its own airplane for doing so?" First, I agree with you
on the idea that if NASA could spend its budget more efficiently
through a private company that is willing to provide the same service
NASA has offered students then it should be done. Yet, I must point out
that NASA hardly spends taxpayer money on what you consider
"joyrides".

Yes the experience that the original KC-135 and now the C-9 provides is
once in a lifetime, but that does not mean that the students that fly
get to fly for free. In order for a student to even be considered to
fly one must submit a formal proposal for an original experiment that
will actually advance science. Of course, there must be a need for the
experiment to take place in microgravity, but nevertheless many
proposals are submitted and few are accepted. NASA does not accept high
school science experiments, they are looking for real scientific
research. If an experiment is accepted, NASA does not fund the
development of the experiment so students must look for funding through
their university or other outside sources. Then they must create and
build their experiment and submit a detailed Test Readiness Review for
NASA to look over everything that the students plan to do and
accomplish while on the aircraft. If the students fail any of the
requirements NASA will not let them fly. All of this information can be
verified at
http://microgravityuniversity.jsc.nasa.gov/students/index.cfm . Riding
on the C-9 is not a free gift to students paid for by concerned
taxpayers; it is an opportunity to advance scientific understanding.

While your point of making NASA go through a private company would or
could be more efficient is a good point. I wanted to point out that the
NASA program does not just throw random people on an aircraft to give
them joyrides. It is a year long process with many possibilities of
even the hardest working student not being able to fly. I just want you
and everyone else reading to take this into consideration as they
discuss this point.

.

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