Obama Gets a Thank You from NASA

[AlCzervik]

By JOHN SCHWARTZ
It’s not every day that the head of a federal agency in a Republican administration during an election year writes a glowing thank-you note to the Democratic candidate for president. But Michael D. Griffin, the administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, wrote a letter to Senator Barack Obama on Oct. 2 stating that that he was “deeply grateful to you, personally” for his work in getting Congress to approve a critically important measure for the space program.

The problem for NASA was a bill, the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act, that bans spending federal money in Russia because of that nation’s dealings with hostile countries. But NASA relies heavily on Russia for transportation to and from the International Space Station aboard Soyuz spacecraft, which both serve as taxis to the station and as lifeboats in case the station has to be evacuated. And after 2010, when NASA shuts down the space shuttle program, the Soyuz will be the only vehicle taking people to the station. So NASA needs to be able to buy those seats.

Congress has, so far, passed waivers to the law allowing NASA to continue buying passage aboard the Soyuz. But the most recent waiver was set to expire in 2011. That problem was about to become a crisis for NASA very quickly, because even though the deadline was three years away, it takes three years for the Russians to build a Soyuz. So if NASA couldn’t get the waiver extended very soon, it was entirely possible that there would be no way for Americans to reach the station after 2011, perhaps until the next generation of NASA spacecraft begins heading to orbit in 2015.

NASA had been working toward getting a waiver, but those efforts all but stalled earlier this year after Russia invaded Georgia, raising the level of tension between Russia and the United States.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/07/obama-gets-a-thank-you-from-nasa/

[FrenchieCat]

1. Excellent!

[myrna minx]

2. That's really cool. I didn't know about Obama's involvement with that.

:kick:

[Schulzz]

3. Empty suit! He has never done anything.

:sarcasm:

[RoccoR5955]

4. I can see Mooselini saying it now,

"There they go, waving the white flag."

[Greyskye]

5. That would be:

"There they go, wavin' the white flag."

:eyes:

[RoccoR5955]

11. Sorry, I forgot to drop my G. n/t

[Cha]

6. Obama gets props and kudos from all

walks of life surrounding the Globe.

[eshfemme]

7. That's an awesome story that neatly sums up Obama's pro-science stance

People like to hide the Republicans' anti-science stance that leads to severe repercussions to America with euphemisms like pro-life, folksy or intelligent design but we all know that under their regimes, science and technology tends to not flourish the way they do underneath innovative administrations like JFK's or Clinton's.

Sucha nice little story and right after the story of Obama being a good Samaritan to a stranded Norwegian!

[Window]

8. Beautiful!

That's my President.

[AwakeAtLast]

9. Hmmmm....could that letter appear tonight?

I hope so! :bounce:

[NBachers]

10. Is there anything this guy CAN'T do?

He appears behind a Norwegian woman and gives her airfaire for her storybook wedding in Norway.

He safeguards a toddler at an Obama event.

He saves NASA

What a hero!

[Hope And Change]

12. K & R!