I thought, and argued here, that those Republicans who voted for Mr. Bush because he would commercialize the space industry and storm the final frontier were dreaming, and, nothwithstanding the VSE and an underfunded COTS, events have proven me largely correct.

— Donald

“Unfortunately, neither one of them published the part that I was most interested in … which is Gore’s statement that space right now is in the exact same position that the Internet was in the 1970s … and that space needs to be commercialized in order to achieve its full potential … just like the Internet only achieved its full potential by being commercialized.

This is taken from Boyle’s piece but there are so many people quoting others I cannot run it all down.

Thank you for the link.

Now, undoubtably there are some who take issue with his stance on space weaponization (and, to anyone interested – no, I don’t want to start that debate), however, if you note the update near the end of the story, you’ll see his support is there. .

Same thing that happened to everything else Earth, life and space science related with this administration, sacrificed for an ill advised human exploration mission to the moon. I was more directly referring to the ISS.

I’m sorry, but I don’t know you, so I don’t know who “your people” are

My people working closely with Al Gore on a rational Earth centric space program, addressing very real potentially catastrophic geological issues, of course. You know – the kind of rational space programs which can easily accommodate basic space colonization development as a minor side effect.

The Moon and Mars colliding with the Earth doesn’t happen to be two of those potentially catastrophic future problems, if you haven’t noticed.

You see, George and Michael got us covered on the Moon and Mars thing.

I know he had some Earth watching satellite planned. What happened to that?

What else did Vice President Al Gore do regarding space exploration?Most of my people are convinced a robust space program is the only thing that even has a chance of addressing global warming (carbon dioxide catastrophe) issues.I’m sorry, but I don’t know you, so I don’t know who “your people” are. Please give more details.

Well, Al Gore has actually done things for our space program. I prefer action over promises. Regardless, your beloved moon program is over.

Most of my people are convinced a robust space program is the only thing that even has a chance of addressing global warming (carbon dioxide catastrophe) issues. Now, we have a long hot summer coming up, and some Nobel prizes coming out in October, maybe by then people will have a different more realistic perspective on reality, and more credible options in the form of presidential candidates. However, that reality demonstrably does not include large moon rockets powered by solid rocket boosters shipped from Utah to the cape via train wrecks. What I envision rather are lightweight five meter rocket tanks shipped by aircraft, equipped with solar panels and mated with engines at the launch site, servicing experimental solar powered satellites/hotels/research centers in low earth orbit, and eventually migrating unmanned to high earth orbit and then beyond.

A moon base is simply not in the cards at this stage of the game. VSE was a horrible and costly diversion, like everything else this administration has attempted, and it has served to defeat the ‘manned space exploration’ paradigm once and forever. These things will occur in time, but on a much more Earth centric and rational basis, and not fraudulently and in secret. Budget realities demand it, and planetary realities guarantee it.

Richardson probably cannot beat any of the leading Democratic trio: Clinton, Obama or Edwards however Bill Richardson would make a superb choice for Vice President and isn’t the Veep the traditional mentor of NASA within the Executive branch, anyway?

Supporting Bill Richardson in the 2008 Democratic primaries would seem helpful to his Veep selection chances even if he never cracks into the top tier with Obama, Clinton or Edwards.