Competition is good. This competition specifically between SpaceX and NASA has been good from an engineering, purely technical standpoint as well as tongue in cheek humor. Now we have RUD/Rapid Unplanned Disassembly, DMT/Dare Mighty Things, OCISLY/Of Course I Still Love You, JRtI/Just Read the Instructions, aSoG/A Shortfall of Gravitas, SURF/straighten up and fly right, Merlins/F-1’s, and the long forgotten TLI/trans lunar injection.
Of course I still love you. The rapid unplanned disassembly resulted from dare mighty things. I straightened up and fly right largely because I just read the instructions. I may have a shortfall of gravitas but still enjoy Merlin and F-1 during the trans lunar injection. Look up…you know where I am. Yeah, even engineers can be “cute”.
Great article, nice diversion from the usual “controversies of the day”, and a reminder both the private sector of the USA and the American government are capable of doing great things AND having a sense of humor while pushing the boundaries of technology.