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How NOT to build a space station - as done with 1984 Freedom

(the following is inspired by lectures on the origins of space station Freedom, on the period 1983 - 1986. NASA truly build a catastrophic organization)

June 25, 1972

NASA Headquarters, Washington DC

Together with external advisor Charles Townes, Homer Newell briefed his successor Noel Hinners.

The former director of NASA office of space sciences and applications (OSSA) was bitter, if not furious.

"Someone in Houston just leaked an internal memo to me. Here's engineers Faget, Piland, Covington and Louviere approach to a space station."

Newell dug a sheet of paper out of his pocket and red on.
"Listen to that. Here's how JSC consider science in the space station program.

"Every time we would try to do a big new advanced project we get all balled up with the user requirements.

So let's don't build a space station that caters to the users; we will build one that is an operational base, a facility, and then what we will do is just let users come on board and when they come on board they will have to make their own beds. Kind of transportation depot or node.

As for the cost, it only include the construction, not the missions.
What missions anyway ?

science ? entrepreneurship ? let's talk about them.

We asked us about things to be done in space. They answered with a so-called blue book, and it was as thick as a phone booth.

Thus at first glance it looks as if there is plenty of things to be done. Yet, we when we reached Phase B - the definition of the space station - there was noone left.

They said they did not supported the program, that a space station can not be justified by science.
Ok, so in discussing our future space station concepts, at some point we will vaguely say, "well, what about some laboratory module for science ?" and that will be it.

It will be deliberate: we will NOT list science as a major objective.
In turn that will make these scientists furious; then, we will look surprised and ashamed and tell them "ah, ok, so you see, you really wanted science to be a major objective of our project. Fine, welcome on board then !"

"They concluded saying we scientists prefer free-flying instruments and unmanned devices we control by ourselves. How surprising, when we are treated like this !" Newell shouted.

Townes and Hinners were apalled.
"It is no surprise the shuttle program ended the way it ended. That machine was a giant monument to Johnson arrogance and love for engineering, as shown here." Townes said with a cold voice.
"And don't think the other manned spaceflight center, Marshall, is better." Newell raged.
"Didn't they tried to be a little more science friendly those days ?" Hinner naively asked.
"You are talking about the Apollo Telescope Mount and their sudden interest for astronomy ? Sheesh. Opportunism, my dear. They went that way only because their big rocket business is winding down."
"So in some way we have two manned centers each with their own, suicidal obsession." Hinners said.
"Spot on. Johnson is obsessed with engineering, and Marshall with big space launching systems. No room for good science there, you see."

There was brief moment of silence before Hinners joked.

"If that true, then that decade is going to be frustrating for them."
"Why that ?" Newell was surprised.
"Well, if Marshall is NASA internal rocket designer, then they are currently out of job, since the agency is buying Titan of the shelf from Martin Marietta.

As for the Johnson Spaceflight Center - per lack of time and budget the space station modules will be of Skylab heritage.

For JSC this is twice an infamy, first, because they have to work with Marshall; secondly, because everything is incremental; it derives from proven hardware. Nothing new, expensive or technology-laden. An engineering heresy, you see."

As he heard these words Newell face betrayed mixed feelings.
"And do you think all those JSC engineers will be happy like this ? Will they stay with their arms crossed ? Their engineering virus won't surrender. At some point the infection will start again." Townes said.
"Sure. But Headquarters just threw them a bone in the shape of Big Gemini."
"Well, it is nothing like the shuttle. In three years it will fly, and Johnson engineers will cry for something else."
"And they will have that something else."
"What ?"
"The shuttle; and perhaps another space station. Or a package of the two."
"Another space station ?" Townes was surprised.
"The backup of the first. You'll never know, the Saturn V could have a bad day. So they are building two cores."
"I see." Newell slapped his forehead. "The Johnson engineers will fantasize at length on the shuttle and a much better space station to go with it. Their engineering virus will be somewhat channeled in that direction."
"Bingo." Hinners smiled. "JSC workshare so far is leading center on Big Gemini plus shared work on the space station with Marshall.

The space station is a JSC core module completed by a host of Marshall uprated Skylab.

Meanwhile Marshall is working on the Agena space tug with a newcomer, Goddard.

Again, JSC scorns the Agena, which is a far cry for the original space tug or nuclear shuttle. Their pet project is the Orbital Transfer Vehicle, and it is on par with the shuttle and backup station I mentionned"

"A bold engineering package to fantasize on." Newell said.

"Indeed. What JSC failed to appreciate is the Agena potential.

Very few people realize that, but Lee Scherer space tug may actually steal the show. We are just beginning to realize Lockheed ungainly rocket stage potential and potentialities.

I can tell you that thing is going to be huge, bigger than the shuttle or the space station itself. We are talking about a possible killer app; something that could turn the space program into a profitable industry." Hinners declared.

"Scherer call this the Agena Piloted Science Program, which is a bit long. Perhaps someone should coin a better accronym ?" Townes noted.
"Agena piloted science ? how about Apsis then? An apsis (Greek ἁψίς, gen. ἁψίδος), plural apsides (pron.:/HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key"ˈæpsɨdiːz/; Greek: ἁψίδες), is the point of greatest or least distance of a body from one of the foci of its elliptical orbit. In modern celestial mechanics this focus is also the center of attraction, which is usually the center of mass of the system."
"Oh, that's good - sharp and appropriate. I like it." Hinners approved. "I have to tell Scherer about that."