Re:Give the Engineers credit... (Score 2, Interesting)

What precludes the possibility of the scientists being engineers? I'm a scientist and an engineer (though not involved with space exploration). It is entirely within the realm of possibility that the engineers that knew what needed to be done to increase the longevity also knew much of the science behind how to do so.

I believe that an understanding of both sides helps solve problems while dramatically reducing the need for engineers to translate to science and vice versa.