Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Illustration of the Gateway. Built with commercial and international partners, NASA says the Gateway is critical to sustainable lunar exploration and will serve as a model for future missions to Mars.
Credit: NASA

Mike Griffin previously served as NASA Administrator (2005-2009). He spoke during the Mars Society’s “Rising Together to Mars” meeting, offering a set of what he termed “provocative comments.”

Prevent stupid

Provocative comment #6: “We need to prevent stupid,” Griffin said.

Four Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit types, multiple revolutions in a rotating Earth-Moon frame.
Credit: NASA/JSC

Mike Griffin speaks to Mars Society attendees.
Credit: Mars Society/Inside Outer Space screengrab

“Space professionals need to speak up when stupid is being advocated. So if you’re going to go to the Moon and if you view that as a step along the way to Mars, as I do, then publicly-offered architectures, such as use of a Lunar Gateway and near-rectilinear halo orbits and such clap trap — invented because the deep space vehicle Orion, in its current incarnation doesn’t have enough total impulse to get itself in and out of lower lunar orbit or better lunar orbit — architectures like that need to be labeled as stupid and set aside…we need to prevent stupid and advocate smart.”

To view Griffin’s remarks, view them at:

https://youtu.be/0j4brmQri4k?t=75

Go to: 1:17:06/4:16:43

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