Well, Hillary’s science policy has been released. No surprises here.
The “space policy” is motherhood (again, as expected):
Hillary will enhance American leadership in space, including:
- Pursuing an ambitious 21st century Space Exploration Program, by implementing a balanced strategy of robust human spaceflight, expanded robotic spaceflight, and enhanced space science activities.
- Developing a comprehensive space-based Earth Sciences agenda, including full funding for NASA’s Earth Sciences program and a space-based Climate Change Initiative that will help us secure the scientific knowledge we need to combat global warming.
- Promoting American leadership in aeronautics by reversing funding cuts to NASA’s and FAA’s aeronautics R&D budget.
Leave aside the fact that aeronautics is not space (though it’s part of NASA).
Who decides what is “balanced”? Absent details, there is nothing here to critique or comment on. If there is a real policy (goals, schedules, budgets) behind the platitude, there’s no evidence of it.
And of course, it’s all about “exploration,” as usual. Same mindless pap we’ve seen in Congressional or presidential discussions of space for the past fifty years.
Oh, well, at least, unlike Kerry’s, it doesn’t mention George Bush.