Moon engineering

A great post about the lunar orbiter and the engineering success of that marvelous machine. To me it is like the bicycle of space probes; not the biggest, nor most powerful, but the biggest bang for the buck. Simple ingenious engineering, and a mark of how great the American scientific effort can progress when the politicians and administration keep out of the actual design and implementation.



I don't want to take away for the feat that they accomplished, but to note how the current energy problem could be solved if the scientists were given free range. Currently we are told to make a wind/solar device that works such way... instead they should say; "give me electricity from the sun." The other big problem right now is the constant use of patents. As a scientist I hate patents. They bring the lawyers into the equation; if you think a politician or admin screws things up, try a lawyer!!!

Lastly, but still very important is this fact;

But of the first six Rangers, two failed to leave the Earth's orbit, one failed en route, two missed the Moon completely, and although the sixth reached the target, its cameras failed.

Errors are natural, and acceptable! But currently, if something blows up, or fails the whole project becomes threatened. This is dangerous and stupid! If we learn from our errors, then firing a failed team is losing your more experienced people! We can not be scared to fail; we must be excited to learn!