It’s three on one at a House hearing today:
Witnesses:
* Mr. Charles F. Bolden, Jr., Administrator, NASA
* Mr. Neil A. Armstrong, Commander, Apollo 11
* Capt. Eugene A. Cernan, United States Navy (Ret.), Commander, Apollo 17
* Mr. A. Thomas Young, Executive Vice President (Ret.), Lockheed Martin Corporation
I don’t expect Bolden to acquit himself well. I wish I were testifying instead. It’s a shame that Gordon couldn’t get Sally Ride, or Leroy Chiao, or some other astronaut who actually understand the problem for balance (not to mention Augustine versus Young, who has no manned space experience). As Clark notes, it’s too bad that the media doesn’t point out how stacked the deck often is in these show hearings. It does reduce confidence (never high to begin with) in the honesty and integrity of congressional deliberations in general.
Is there any reason to believe Bart Gordon didn’t choose the witnesses he wanted chosen?
There is an old political saying, “Always count the votes before calling the question.”
While there are many good ideas in the FY2011 proposal, I remain surprised that so many people seem to think that the new NASA Administration can simply dictate policy to Congress — without first lining up at least a few powerful Congressional allies.
Bill,
I suspect this is laying the foundation for Congress to continue Constellation as the POR or to create a NASA managed EELV/Orion as an alternative. They need the firepower to counter the Augustine Committee report. It will be interesting to see if the President will push back or go on to focus on other aspects of his agenda.
As a side note I noticed the 2012 Republican Convention will be in Tampa. The full economic impact of the Shuttle retirement should be visible then on the space coast. I wonder if any of the candidates will try to leverage it and President’s Obama space policy to their advantage. It could be interesting. The empty pads (39A and 39B) could make a good photo op, especially since the serving towers for Shuttle will be demolished by then 🙂
I suspect this is laying the foundation for Congress to continue Constellation as the POR or to create a NASA managed EELV/Orion as an alternative.
They don’t have the money. And they’re not going to get it. Gordon’s an authorizer, not an appropriator.
I remain surprised that so many people seem to think that the new NASA Administration can simply dictate policy to Congress — without first lining up at least a few powerful Congressional allies.
They do have a few (Sam Brownback, Dana Rohrabacher). Which will help once the Republicans take over.
Rand,
But the project needs to authorized before its funded. And if President’s Obama’s policy is Not authorized then NASA won’t be able to spend any funds on it under a CR.
Authorization is necessary, but not sufficient, for funding. It’s still up to the appropriators.
Forcing an administration to conduct a program it doesn’t want to do seems akin to pushing on a string. If the NASA administrator wants to prove that Ares was a bad idea, he surely has ways to force that to be obvious.
This particular administrator may not have them in his own arsenal. In addition to not being very coherent, he’s probably afraid to call Ares out for the dog it is because he doesn’t want to demoralize the people working on it for so long. He might be trying to avoid the “mistake” that Griffin made when he called Shuttle and station “mistakes.”
Paul,
[[[Forcing an administration to conduct a program it doesn’t want to do seems akin to pushing on a string. If the NASA administrator wants to prove that Ares was a bad idea, he surely has ways to force that to be obvious.]]]
True, but Congress also has ways to show it displeasure at that if its not their will.
This is shaping up to be an interesting battle between the “imperial”Presidency and Congressional “will of the people” models of governance. It will be interesting to see who ends up in control.
The President basically has to push his changes through this year since the odds are the next Congress will be hostile to anything he does.
Congress by contrast only has to play a waiting game, until the next Congress and probably next administration.
One problem is that space is just not seen by the general public as a commercial activity, even though more money is spent on space commerce (comsats, etc.) and military space then is spent on NASA. Space is instead seen as a symbol of national pride and power. So repositioning space as simply another commercial activity to out source to private firms is going to be a challenge to the advocates for the new policy in the next two election cycles, which is critical if they want this shift to take place.
So repositioning space as simply another commercial activity to out source to private firms
That’s not what’s happening, no matter how many times people like you attempt to so mischaracterize it.
Rand,
[[[So repositioning space as simply another commercial activity to out source to private firms.]]]
No, Out sourcing in business is buying a service from an outside provider that you used to do “in house”.
So that is exacting what commercial crew is. Hiring commercial firms to provide astronaut transportation to ISS in place of the government owned Space Shuttle.
You miss the point. “Space” is not becoming simply another commercial acivity — delivery to LEO is. NASA is still doing exploration beyond LEO, and much sooner and more cost effectively than with Constellation.
Rand,
[[[You miss the point. “Space” is not becoming simply another commercial acivity — delivery to LEO is. NASA is still doing exploration beyond LEO, and much sooner and more cost effectively than with Constellation.]]]
But eventually that will be out sourced to, just as outside firms now design, build and manage the south polar stations, so scientists are free to do science. Space will be no different and the sooner the public buys into that idea the easier it will to move the commercial frontier beyond LEO, and stop space from being the plaything of Congress and Presidents.
Or do you always want NASA to be in control of space exploration?
Rand,
Tell me, what would be wrong with a deep space commercial version of Dragon taking astronauts to their first landing on a NEO?
But eventually that will be out sourced to
So? What does that have to do with what’s happening now? And why is it a problem?
Rand,
Why do you have a problem with getting the public used to space merely being another activity for the government to out source? As long as you are going to work to change the public’s mindset on space, you might as do it right.
Tell me, what would be wrong with a deep space commercial version of Dragon taking astronauts to their first landing on a NEO?
Why do you have a problem with getting the public used to space merely being another activity for the government to out source?
When are you going to stop beating your wife?
Rand,
Besides, if NASA is not competent enough to design a system to transport astronauts to the ISS, which is implied in all the objections people have to Constellation not working, why would they be competent enough for the much harder job of designing a deep space vehicle capable of reaching a NEO?
Besides, if NASA is not competent enough to design a system to transport astronauts to the ISS, which is implied in all the objections people have to Constellation not working
No, the objections are not implications for NASA’s competence. The objections are that NASA shouldn’t waste so much money doing things that are within the capability of industry, and should instead focus on the leading-edge problems on the frontier. I’m sorry you haven’t been able to properly follow the conversation.
Rand,
[[[The objections are that NASA shouldn’t waste so much money doing things that are within the capability of industry, and should instead focus on the leading-edge problems on the frontier.]]]
You are just digging yourself deeper. I am sure Bigelow and SpaceX believe they would have the capability to design a system to reach a NEO, and to do so probably cheaper and quicker then NASA. And I would agree with them.
Keep in mind I am not an opponent of space commerce. I was involved with the original proposals for the New Mexico Spaceport in the early 1990’s and did my Ph.D. on it. What I recognize is that pushing emerging firms, like SpaceX, or technologies, like the DC-X, too far too fast into the political spotlight, a journey that usually leads to their destruction. That is why I worry about the new policy, because it moves commercial crew too soon from the alternative path to the critical path, setting firms like SpaceX up for failure. Or at the very least creating a higher barrier for success.
That and that I find it hard to believe that President Obama got his space policy right when most of his other decisions have been wrong. I just don’t buy it that he and Dr. Holdern are suddenly fans of opening the high frontier. There is a shoe waiting to drop in this someplace.
That is why I am not sold on this new policy, I see too many failure points in it for entrepreneurial space firms. By contrast the only failure point for entrepreneurial space firms in the old policy was funding for COTS-D. Fear over the gap would have provided that. As well as any technical problems with Constellation.
Now,because of the new policy, New Space firms like SpaceX have big targets on them from both members of Congress who see them taking jobs away in their districts, and the Media, who see them as replacing America’s beloved NASA. And that is not good. Watch the movie “Tucker” to see where that may lead.
So yes, it is important to get the public, and Republican candidates to see space as just another government activity to out source, as is true with dredging channels or flying mail. The sooner space is no longer seen as symbolic of government leadership the better.
You are just digging yourself deeper. I am sure Bigelow and SpaceX believe they would have the capability to design a system to reach a NEO, and to do so probably cheaper and quicker then NASA. And I would agree with them.
So would I. What’s your point? We can only fight one battle at a time. First you have to get the public used to having NASA purchase rides to LEO before you can convince them that they might be able to expand their service procurements, or that they aren’t necessary at all.
That and that I find it hard to believe that President Obama got his space policy right when most of his other decisions have been wrong. I just don’t buy it that he and Dr. Holdern are suddenly fans of opening the high frontier.
As I’ve said repeatedly, it’s because they don’t care about space. As with Bush, it was a policy distraction, that they hoped they could put aside and get on to important things (just as with Bush). If they thought it was important, you can bet they wouldn’t put private enterprise in charge in any way.
The sooner space is no longer seen as symbolic of government leadership the better.
I agree with that, but I don’t see how defending Constellation, and attacking the new policy, achieves that.
People keep using “outsource” like it’s a dirty word. It’s why I made this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSChW9HxAvI Stop being simpletons.
Trent,
[[[People keep using “outsource” like it’s a dirty word.]]]
Exactly. Out sourcing is a driver of both innovation and entrepreneurship.
Rand,
[[[As I’ve said repeatedly, it’s because they don’t care about space. As with Bush, it was a policy distraction, that they hoped they could put aside and get on to important things (just as with Bush). If they thought it was important, you can bet they wouldn’t put private enterprise in charge in any way.]]]
If is wasn’t important to him it would have been easier to leave it alone. As it is President Obama will likely loose Florida because of it, perhaps even Colorado although Orion CRV may salvage that, and its hard to imagine him doing so for something that wasn’t important to him at some level.
If is wasn’t important to him it would have been easier to leave it alone. As it is President Obama will likely loose Florida because of it
It is unlikely this will lose him Florida. The number of people involved is just too small. Whether he wins Florida or not will be a functoin of other issues.
Stop being simpletons.
If only it were that easy. The world would be a much better place if people could stop being simpletons just like that.
“It is unlikely this will lose him Florida. The number of people involved is just too small. Whether he wins Florida or not will be a functoin of other issues.”
That is quite likely true. Brevard county was significantly Republican for years and will stay that way no matter what happens at KSC. The number of votes continuing the existing course would change is insignificant in the overall tally. These congressional hearings are such a farce as the congressmen calling the witnesses simply cherry pick the ones with big names that are sympathetic to their plans to get the pork to their states. They wouldn’t even have Bolden there if they could do anything about it. Very amusing to see how everyone wants to cut the pork unless they are receiving the pork.
Hi All,
Interesting post at Hobbyspace on an amendment that would ban NASA working or even supporting human missions to the Moon.
http://www.hobbyspace.com/nucleus/index.php?itemid=20740#c
[[[Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration may not obligate or expend any amount to support a human lunar mission, including any such mission under the Constellation Program of the Administration.]]]
It appears Senator Russ Feingold is the sponsor. I wonder what the back story is. Other then the Wisconsin tradition of opposition to space exploration.