NASA's Guts

While a panel of people reviewed the "Astronaut Farmer", Matt Bramanti made the profound statement:

"I think the reason the space program once had such support behind it -- support from the average Joe -- is that it wasn't about science, it was guts. It was steely-eyed missile men staring down the Russians. And NASA did it fast. Now, their goals aren't so clear."

I would argue that in the last few years there goals have become clearer, but they are still full of scientists who are interested in research and engineers worried about not screwing up rather than "steely-eyed missile men" with "guts."