There’s a good article over at the Washington Times by Guy Taylor on the prospects for NASA after the election. I’m quoted extensively, as is Bob Walker.
8 thoughts on “Star-Crossed Space Exploration”
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There’s a good article over at the Washington Times by Guy Taylor on the prospects for NASA after the election. I’m quoted extensively, as is Bob Walker.
Comments are closed.
First we have to divest ourselves of the idea that all manned space *flight* is necessarily space *exploration* or more general space research. Until recently they were indeed synonymous, but will soon become increasingly less so. As with aviation, non-exploratory space travel will come to predominate.
Exploratory travel is still a big part of aviation. Just pick up a book like “Exploring San Francisco.”
Yes, but going where *you* have never gone before, is more nearly tourism.
Not that there’s the slightest thing wrong with that…
“At $2.5 billion, the rover landing was relatively affordable.”
Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggghhhhhh!
In this age of budget cutting, Romney’s disdain might actually be helpful. SLS is a “moon base”, as far as cost and function goes. The conversation would go like this:
Congressional Porker: “We need a big rocket. 150 tons to LEO.”
Romney: “What’s it for? That’s way bigger than any satellite or robotic rover needs.”
Congressional Porker: “Moon base, or manned mission to Mars.”
Romney: “And how much will THAT cost?”
NASA: “$100 billion.”
Romney: “You’re fired.”
Romney’s Aid: “You can’t fire elected officials.”
Romney: “Damn, okay. Well, we’re not building any Moon bases anyway, so you don’t need SLS. Kill it.”
From the article.
[[[Mr. Romney said, “I’m not going to come here today and tell you precisely what the mission will be. I’m going to tell you how I’m going to get there.
“That is by bringing in people from the Department of Defense, the Air Force and other branches of service, astrophysicists from some of the leading institutions in the world, along with people from the commercial sector, the industrial sector, as well as people from NASA.”]]]
So basically if elected Governor Romney will create another Blue-Ribbon Presidential Commission to review national space policy and to produce another report to join all the reports by all the previous Blue-Ribbon Presidential Commissions in the circular file at NASA…
And folks wonder why we are still still in LEO after 40 years…
Space is what vice presidents do. How’s Ryan on the subject?
It’s true some vice presidents have had an impact on civilian space policy, but I don’t think it’s a given. Does anyone know or care what Biden’s views on the subject are? Cheney’s?