Northrop Grumman CEO comments on James Webb space telescope errors

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope continues to benefit from support of Congress, but lawmakers Thursday expressed dismay at the performance of Northrop Grumman, the huge aeronautical contractor who committed a series of errors delaying the launch of the telescope until 2021 at the earliest . Wes Bush, the CEO of the company, found himself on the defensive when he testified before the scientific committee of the House. He repeatedly refused to specify the profit made by his company last year

. The Webb telescope was designed in 1996 as the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, and NASA hoped to launch it in 2007.

infrared telescope with a segmented mirror 6.5 meters wide, and it should be kept cold for collect the light emitted in the primitive universe when the stars were just beginning to form galaxies. This requires a five-layer sun visor the size of a tennis court that must deploy in the space.

In a jolt test in April, the screws were coming off the sunshade, just the latest in a series of technical problems. errors at Northrop Grumman. An independent review panel asked NASA and Congress this summer to continue the program, but said there were 344 potential failures that could condemn the telescope with a single mistake, and he urged to take care to eliminate technical problems. The latest estimate of project costs is $ 9.7 billion, most of which has already been spent.

Bush admitted that Northrop Grumman's mistakes had been a factor in the delays. He promised that the company would put all its past profits and potential future profits – known as "reward fees" – into a common pot to be awarded only if the telescope is successful.

Lamar Smith (R.-Tex.) Asked him if the company would consider paying the last cost overrun of $ 800 million from his own pocket. Bush said it would turn the company's cost-plus contract with NASA into a fixed-price contract, and that it would "significantly hurt" the company's relationship with NASA [19659012]. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) Is mocked by comments made by Bush and other lawmakers about how the Webb will inspire young people.

"I am sorry I can not join you in this inspiring testimony you gave today, Mr. Bush, I do not think we should look to our young people and give them the example of A budget eight times over budget and twice as long, "he said.

He added," You can tell, will the Jim Webb telescope be worth all that money? "The question is, is it worth all these other projects that we have been unable to fund in this committee because you have failed your work."

He asked Bush how much profit Northrop Grumman made last year. Bush replied that it was in the government depots.

"Is it hundreds of millions, or billions?" Asked Congressman

"It's a very large number". the end of Bush's testimony, when Smith urged Bush to know if anyone had been fired for Webb project mistakes and then again tried to convince Bush to discuss business profits [19659018] Smith: "You do not know if any employees have lost their jobs because of human error."

Bush: "With regard to the mistakes we are talking about today, I do not I do not remember losing their job. "

Smith:" What was Northrop's profit? year in 2017 just to the nearest tenth of a billion? "

Bush:" We can get it for you memory ".

Smith: "I'm sorry?"

Bush: "We can provide"

Smith: "Why do not you tell us today what it is?"

] Bush: "I do not have"

Smith: "How could a CEO not know the benefit of his business last year?"

Bush: "We will provide this to you for memory. "

The company's financial report for 2017 indicates that it had a pre-tax profit of more than $ 3 billion

James Bridenstine, NASA director, had already testified before the same committee on Wednesday and was found in friendly territory.He sat on the Scientific Committee as representative of Oklahoma until the beginning of the year, when it was confirmed as Trump president to head the space agency

Bridenstine acknowledged that Webb delays will force NASA to "cannibalize" funding for Stated to other missions, but he extolled the scientific virtues of Webb and said, "We are on the five-meter line and we are trying to hit him in the final zone."

Although he did faced with some comments, his former colleagues were generally sweet. The most pointed remarks came from Rohrabacher, who started by saying, "This is of course very disturbing. It's about the biggest job I've ever seen, and taxpayers do not care about it here. "

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