Crunch time for NASA's space vision

[n2doc]

Alan Boyle writes: The Senate Commerce Committee is due to vote Thursday on a measure that would shift the direction of NASA's revised space vision - not necessarily to return to the moon, but to extend the space shuttle program, speed up the development of a heavy-lift rocket and slow down spending on space commercialization.


The prospect of reduced spending for private-sector spaceflight has sparked an 11th-hour campaign to get the legislation amended.

Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said in a DemRadio sound bite that he expected his version of the bill to win the committee's approval, and that "the White House will announce their support for our bill" on Thursday. The Orlando Sentinel quoted an aide to President Barack Obama as saying the measure "appears to contain the critical elements necessary for achieving the president's vision for NASA."

Obama's original proposal fell flat in Congress, and Nelson has portrayed his compromise version of the reauthorization bill as the best way to safeguard thousands of aerospace jobs as the space shuttle program winds down.

The bill calls for NASA to add one more shuttle flight in mid-2011 to resupply the International Space Station, and start work on a heavy-lift launch vehicle and crew vehicle that could eventually send astronauts beyond Earth orbit. The White House's proposal said only that work on the heavy-lifter should begin by 2015.

more

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/07/14/4679091-crunch-time-for-nasas-space-vision

[Dogmudgeon]

1. If we want a space program, we are going to have to lobby for it

Just like anything else worthwhile.

Considering that money spent on space (or any other) technology is always productive, it's a wonder that we haven't expanded the space program. NASA could easily "leverage" its power by enlisting private-sector efforts and international participation as with the International Space Station. NASA's most effective mission might not be exploration, but organization -- growing a broad-based, profitable, sustainable space industry and culture, rather than just a program.

It might also give us the organizing vision we need in the world to withdraw from the universal warfare-state doctrine that has wasted so much wealth and ended so many lives.

--d!

[Johonny]

2. we have a space program

I'm not sure I want to spend more money sending people into low Earth orbit for the fun of it. Congresses view of the space program seems stuck in 1the 1950s. Looks like our real space program will remain only a minor part of our space budget for another presidency.