Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

NTRS Still Down and May Be Out For The Long Count

8 views
Skip to first unread message

David Spain

unread,
Apr 30, 2013, 6:30:25 PM4/30/13
to
The latest word coming down the rumor mill does not bode well for NASA's
Technical Information Retrieval Service coming back on-line anytime
soon, since it was shut down for an ITAR Audit nearly 1 month ago.

See the comment from commenter "aerowatch" posted 7 days ago on this
NASA Watch thread that was cross-posted on the Arocket mailing list:

http://nasawatch.com/archives/2013/04/nasas-silence-o.html#comments

It's short enough to quote in full:

/quote

aerowatch � 7 days ago

The bottom line is that NASA has decided to shelter its civil servants
from sequestration--which translates to contractors taking on the lion
share of the impact-- and these are not furloughs, they are permanent
layoffs. Given this decision, you would think that NASA would take
special care to preserve high-value programs. But I have heard of at
least one case that I found simply unbelievable. Nearly the entire
operational staff of the Center for Aerospace Information (CASI) has
been sacked. CASI are the folks that create and maintain the NTRS (NASA
Technical Reports Server) and the NA&SD (NASA Aeronautics and Space
Database). What were they thinking! Mark my words, this does not bode
well for those of us who rely on the accessibility of NASA technical
information.

/un-quote

I would love to get independent confirmation or a credible denial of
this rumor.

Whatever "damage" may have been suffered because of an inadvertent
publication of an ITAR restricted document pales in comparison to the
damage already done and currently STILL being done to US commercial
space interests while this invaluable database remains off-line.

If I were a Chinese spy set to destroy US space competitiveness, I would
be quite happy in the knowledge that I only have to let slip a rumor of
espionage and step back and let the target destroy itself!

People; it's time to start writing those letters to Congress.

Dave

Jeff Findley

unread,
May 1, 2013, 9:42:57 AM5/1/13
to
In article <vZedneIm06ac2x3M...@giganews.com>, nospam@
127.0.0.1 says...
>
> The latest word coming down the rumor mill does not bode well for NASA's
> Technical Information Retrieval Service coming back on-line anytime
> soon, since it was shut down for an ITAR Audit nearly 1 month ago.
>
> See the comment from commenter "aerowatch" posted 7 days ago on this
> NASA Watch thread that was cross-posted on the Arocket mailing list:
>
> http://nasawatch.com/archives/2013/04/nasas-silence-o.html#comments
>
> It's short enough to quote in full:
>
> /quote
>
> aerowatch ? 7 days ago
>
> The bottom line is that NASA has decided to shelter its civil servants
> from sequestration--which translates to contractors taking on the lion
> share of the impact-- and these are not furloughs, they are permanent
> layoffs. Given this decision, you would think that NASA would take
> special care to preserve high-value programs. But I have heard of at
> least one case that I found simply unbelievable. Nearly the entire
> operational staff of the Center for Aerospace Information (CASI) has
> been sacked. CASI are the folks that create and maintain the NTRS (NASA
> Technical Reports Server) and the NA&SD (NASA Aeronautics and Space
> Database). What were they thinking! Mark my words, this does not bode
> well for those of us who rely on the accessibility of NASA technical
> information.
>
> /un-quote
>
> I would love to get independent confirmation or a credible denial of
> this rumor.
>
> Whatever "damage" may have been suffered because of an inadvertent
> publication of an ITAR restricted document pales in comparison to the
> damage already done and currently STILL being done to US commercial
> space interests while this invaluable database remains off-line.
>
> If I were a Chinese spy set to destroy US space competitiveness, I would
> be quite happy in the knowledge that I only have to let slip a rumor of
> espionage and step back and let the target destroy itself!
>
> People; it's time to start writing those letters to Congress.

No kidding.

Of course, Congress and the Senate could both agree to let the FAA
shuffle funds around to prevent long air travel delays. They wrote up
the bill so fast that parts of it were literally hand written. And they
did this all right before a recess where they typically all hop on
airplanes to travel back to their home districts. Is it any wonder that
public approval for Congress is so low? :-P

Jeff
--
"the perennial claim that hypersonic airbreathing propulsion would
magically make space launch cheaper is nonsense -- LOX is much cheaper
than advanced airbreathing engines, and so are the tanks to put it in
and the extra thrust to carry it." - Henry Spencer

Greg (Strider) Moore

unread,
May 2, 2013, 9:37:02 PM5/2/13
to

>
>"Jeff Findley" wrote in message
>news:MPG.2bead85ba...@news.eternal-september.org...
>
>In article <vZedneIm06ac2x3M...@giganews.com>, nospam@
>127.0.0.1 says...
>> People; it's time to start writing those letters to Congress.
>
>No kidding.
>
>Of course, Congress and the Senate could both agree to let the FAA
>shuffle funds around to prevent long air travel delays. They wrote up
>the bill so fast that parts of it were literally hand written. And they
>did this all right before a recess where they typically all hop on
>airplanes to travel back to their home districts. Is it any wonder that
>public approval for Congress is so low? :-P
>

Yeah, it's amazing how certain folks wanted the sequester. Until it
impacted THEIR personal programs. It appears everything else is waste,
their programs are important.

Of course the Army doesn't want a bunch of Abrams tanks, but Congress wants
them, so that's still funded.

Argh.


>Jeff

--
Greg D. Moore http://greenmountainsoftware.wordpress.com/
CEO QuiCR: Quick, Crowdsourced Responses. http://www.quicr.net

Jeff Findley

unread,
May 3, 2013, 7:32:06 AM5/3/13
to
In article <_PudnW6kacQjiR7M...@earthlink.com>,
moo...@ignorethisgreenms.com says...
> >"Jeff Findley" wrote in message
> >news:MPG.2bead85ba...@news.eternal-september.org...
> >
> >In article <vZedneIm06ac2x3M...@giganews.com>, nospam@
> >127.0.0.1 says...
> >> People; it's time to start writing those letters to Congress.
> >
> >No kidding.
> >
> >Of course, Congress and the Senate could both agree to let the FAA
> >shuffle funds around to prevent long air travel delays. They wrote up
> >the bill so fast that parts of it were literally hand written. And they
> >did this all right before a recess where they typically all hop on
> >airplanes to travel back to their home districts. Is it any wonder that
> >public approval for Congress is so low? :-P
> >
>
> Yeah, it's amazing how certain folks wanted the sequester. Until it
> impacted THEIR personal programs. It appears everything else is waste,
> their programs are important.
>
> Of course the Army doesn't want a bunch of Abrams tanks, but Congress wants
> them, so that's still funded.
>
> Argh.

I'm quite familiar with that, since the primary beneficiary of
continuing production is Lima Ohio. I'm definitely not for it, even
though I live in Ohio. Not much use for a seemingly endless supply of
tanks without the Soviet Union to fight. And despite the Republican
reputation for being "fiscal conservatives", it's funny how all the
Republican politicians in Ohio support this unwanted (by the Army at
least) government spending.

Wrong Stuff

unread,
May 4, 2013, 6:31:02 AM5/4/13
to


Plus they seem to want the next war .........Syria

I suppose they'll pay minimum wage and start the draft as a cost cutting
measure...............................Trig

me

unread,
May 8, 2013, 5:01:13 PM5/8/13
to
Actually as of right now it is back up.

bob haller

unread,
May 9, 2013, 4:34:29 AM5/9/13
to
obama has resisted oing to war with syria.....

I think drones should be used in syria to target assad. Begining with
his homes, then a blunt statement, assad stop killing your people or
you will die. more drones coming your way in 5... 4.. 3.. 2.. 1...
BAM!

he really needs to go, dead or alive...

put out a 5 billion dollar bounty on him.....

he wouldnt trust anyone:)
Message has been deleted

David Spain

unread,
May 9, 2013, 1:52:10 PM5/9/13
to
On 5/8/2013 5:01 PM, me wrote:
> Actually as of right now it is back up.
>

Yes, somewhat of a good news / bad news story I hear.
But at least it is back up.

Dave

0 new messages