More notes from the STA breakfast
By Jeff Foust on 2004 July 9 at 9:43 am ET
- In his speech, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay mentioned that the House Appropriations Committee plans to mark up the NASA budget bill before it leaves for August recess in a couple weeks. His comments suggested that the committee might not give NASA the budget increase that the Bush Administration requested: “I encourage you to work hard and not be discouraged,” he said, “because, as always, the final bill is going to be written in the conference committee.”
- George Whitesides of the NSS noted that about 60 people have signed up to participate in the Moon-Mars Blitz next week.
- In some introductory comments, Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) had this to say: “Sell this thing, sell it across America, and start in upstate New York.” This is an apparent reference to Reps. Sherwood Boehlert, chair of the House Science Committee, and/or James Walsh, chair of the subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee that deals with NASA. The two, who represent adjacent districts in central New York, have been at least mildly critical of some aspects of the proposed exploration plan.
Nasa’s own mistakes of the 80’s, 90’s and in this current century make funding a bigger issue than it should be. It’s past has been marred with failed rocket designs, the space shuttles distuctions and the looming cost over runs on multiple projects. They themselves are the only ones to blame for the publics perception of this agency.
Nasa needs to show real proof of change before additional funding for the Space Exploration Vision will take place.
Nasa’s own people know the truth. Some have even come out of the closet in so much as to say so on the editorial pages of the Florida today, the NasaWatch comment logs and onto numerous web blogs.
This watch may be ticking but it is still broken.
Is Tom DeLay’s primary interest to promote space or is he more interested in maintaining party unity and discipline?
Passing this appropriation by twisting arms (as was done with the recent Patriot Act vote) seems to me to be exactly the wrong way to go if we want “America” to embrace this vision with a bi-partisan spirit.
Consensus requires dialouge, not discipline.
Actually pressure from the Air force and Congress has help create the environment in NASA over the years. Congress frequently uses NASA as a fall guy. NASA doesn’t do much damage control; an example is the 1 Trillion price tag put out by the media inaccurately. NASA did little to dispute this amount maybe because they don’t have a firm price for the Space Exploration Vision.
I hope Congress doesn’t loose sight of the purpose of a vision, the details of the vision isn’t as important as having a long range goal for Space and NASA. This goal shouldn’t be the hardware or administrative structure but a long range goal. What should Americans be doing in space in 50 years? And focus resources to this goal. One big problem with both Kennedy’s and Regan’s vision was it was short range and too specific. We need to be the leaders otherwise we will loose the strategic advantage.
“What should Americans be doing in space in 50 years?”
Make that 75 or 100 or 150 years and “having babies” is the only sustainable answer.
I would love a Martian born son or daughter. Or should she be born on Venus.