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Author
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Topic: Grumman and the space shuttle contract
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Fra Mauro
Member Posts: 1587
From: Bethpage, N.Y.
Registered: Jul 2002
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posted 09-02-2009 12:26 AM
   
Any firm ideas why Grumman lost out on the shuttle contract? I've read that one factor was Nixon's desire to win California in 1972. |
kr4mula
Member Posts: 642
From: Cinci, OH
Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 09-02-2009 12:07 PM
Hmm, firm ideas? Well, some engineers have commented that they felt the Apollo experience with the major contractors colored the award in one way or another. Supposedly Grumman's other problems with the F-14, for example, were also an issue. I think Tom Kelly had a lot to say about that in his book, especially since Grumman originated the stage-and-a-half concept that the shuttle uses today. He was surprised and disappointed that they lost out, naturally. |
E2M Lem Man
Member Posts: 846
From: Los Angeles CA. USA
Registered: Jan 2005
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posted 09-02-2009 03:05 PM
I kind of doubt that explanation. California was Nixon's home state and it was doubtful that he would have lost that in 1972.After Apollo 1, the company went along and worked easily with NASA adapting to whatever the agency needed or wanted. Rockwell was liked more about that time, and that is one of the reasons Grumman became a team member and assembled the wings and other subsystems. |
moorouge
Member Posts: 2454
From: U.K.
Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 09-04-2009 01:23 PM
Surely the one and half stage concept was developed by Convair with the Atlas rocket? |
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