Mars Project - Couldn't Nasa have used an Amercan company for the software? (rover)

[Miker2069]

I am loving everything about the Curiousity landing on Mars. I am a little disssapointed that NASA couldn't use an American company for the software which controlled all the critical components of the machines. Really not taking anything away from Siemens (who has this plastered all over their website, and deservedly so) but come on, no *American* company could have done this?


Siemens Answers - Siemens USA

[oddstray]

My guess is that Siemens already had large pieces of the necessary software, and could provide it at considerably lower cost than any USA company.

[plwhit]

Originally Posted by Miker2069

I am loving everything about the Curiousity landing on Mars. I am a little disssapointed that NASA couldn't use an American company for the software which controlled all the critical components of the machines. Really not taking anything away from Siemens (who has this plastered all over their website, and deservedly so) but come on, no *American* company could have done this?


Siemens Answers - Siemens USA

I'm sure there is no other reason NASA went with Siemens other than NASA is anti-American in it's business practices.....

[Miker2069]

Originally Posted by plwhit

I'm sure there is no other reason NASA went with Siemens other than NASA is anti-American in it's business practices.....

lol - i didn't say anti-american in case you were thinking that...what I'm saying is I know there are plenty of large scale IC and software company right here in the USA....I wonder what were the dynamics they prohibited their involvement. Was it cost, like the previous poster said "time to market", etc.

[orogenicman]

Originally Posted by Miker2069

I am loving everything about the Curiousity landing on Mars. I am a little disssapointed that NASA couldn't use an American company for the software which controlled all the critical components of the machines. Really not taking anything away from Siemens (who has this plastered all over their website, and deservedly so) but come on, no *American* company could have done this?


Siemens Answers - Siemens USA

There are Russian, German, Canadian components and components from other nations as well. Should they have tossed those as well? And the chips were made in Asia. It was built, launched, and is managed by NASA, so who cares? I actually tjhink it is much better and more important for everyone to get involved. It spreads the risk and brings us all closer as a human family.

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by Miker2069

lol - i didn't say anti-american in case you were thinking that...what I'm saying is I know there are plenty of large scale IC and software company right here in the USA....I wonder what were the dynamics they prohibited their involvement. Was it cost, like the previous poster said "time to market", etc.

Siemens has been working with NASA for a long time now. Why wouldn't they go with them?

[Miker2069]

Originally Posted by orogenicman

There are Russian, German, Canadian components and components from other nations as well. Should they have tossed those as well? And the chips were made in Asia. It was built, launched, and is managed by NASA, so who cares? I actually tjhink it is much better and more important for everyone to get involved. It spreads the risk and brings us all closer as a human family.

Originally Posted by K-Luv

Siemens has been working with NASA for a long time now. Why wouldn't they go with them?

You both made good points..just appears that there are no primary US companies that are taking bragging rights...maybe it doesn't matter.

[orogenicman]

Originally Posted by Miker2069

You both made good points..just appears that there are no primary US companies that are taking bragging rights...maybe it doesn't matter.

I believe that a lot of the instrumentation on the rover was designed and built by university projects, not corporations. And I think they are very proud of their work today.

[Miker2069]

Originally Posted by orogenicman

I believe that a lot of the instrumentation on the rover was designed and built by university projects, not corporations. And I think they are very proud of their work today.

I saw one of the videos and in the background it had caltech sign in the back...all very cool

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by Miker2069

You both made good points..just appears that there are no primary US companies that are taking bragging rights...maybe it doesn't matter.

Originally Posted by Miker2069

I saw one of the videos and in the background it had caltech sign in the back...all very cool

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a part of Cal-Tech, and has been for roughly 30 years before NASA even existed-although under a different name. The JPL is considered NASA, but it is more a part of Cal-Tech as most of the employees working there are employed by Cal-Tech as the JPL is managed by Cal-Tech with NASA only having a field office. If I remember correctly, NASA funds the JPL, though. The JPL has a long history of designing and building systems for the U.S. Military, so I suppose it made sense to transfer the JPL to NASA in...1958 I believe.

The JPL is the "team" that took on the Curiosity Mission.

I also believe that most, if not all, of NASAs laboratories are either a part of a research university or a private business. Like all Government agencies, projects tend to be contracted out.

I understand what you are saying about the lack of keeping the project local, but, research science tends to not be limited to a country's borders. It's generally a global affair with the originating country taking the bragging rights. Despite the international effort, NASA, and thus America, will take the credit.