Comments on: On Clinton space policy and saving Mars

By: Habitat Hermit

Habitat Hermit — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 22:21:39 +0000

Since insomnia wouldn’t help even if you were right and quite possibly would make everything and anything seem worse than it really is I hope you’ll start sleeping better.

You’re absolutely right I’m not an U.S. citizen; I’m norwegian.

By: D. Messier

D. Messier — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 01:48:41 +0000

Hbitat Hermit wrote @ November 15th, 2007 at 4:27 pm

D. Messier:
So why havenâ€™t they gotten to you then? Or the 16-18% of the US population that are extremely vocal dissenters? It wouldnâ€™t be hard to notice if such numbers suddenly started using crutches or wheelchairs.

I don’t know. I just don’t know. I do lose a fair amount of sleep over it, though.

I am guessing that you are not an American cititzen and thus has no vote in the next presidential election. Correct me if I’m wrong here.

By: Habitat Hermit

Habitat Hermit — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 21:27:46 +0000

Mike Fazan wrote:
“The choice of Griffinâ€™s successor will have the most bearing on what direction NASA takes over a year from now.”

Only too correct and a big part of the problem. The VSE tried to change it and provide a guiding vision but in the end it’s been left up to the Administrator’s whim and interpretation.

D. Messier:
So why haven’t they gotten to you then? Or the 16-18% of the US population that are extremely vocal dissenters? It wouldn’t be hard to notice if such numbers suddenly started using crutches or wheelchairs.

Back on topic: the next Administrator –or the next President, or even the next Congress if they took an interest beyond funding their districts– could swiftly bring NASA and the VSE back on track as well as increase spending on non-VSE areas by ditching the current implementation and choosing either a Direct v2 or EELV solution as others have mentioned. The whole point from the start was to work towards the VSE without a budget increase and it’s still possible. By choosing Direct v2 (an easier switch than to EELVs since it would involve the same companies, companies which I presume have already gotten contracts) one could possibly even keep all of the Shuttle workforce and reduce it incrementally by natural attrition instead of layoffs.

Do I believe it will happen? No, no longer do. If Hillary wins in ’08 and makes it happen I will applaud her for it, just the same as if anyone else wins and does it (I find it extremely unlikely that any of them will manage, even if my own favourite Giuliani is elected).

By: D. Messier

D. Messier — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 06:40:17 +0000

I dunno – ironic that Bush managed to bleed the treasury dry while seriously underfunding his own signature program in space. His reckless spending will now hobble anyone lucky (?) enough to follow him.

Dinerman’s piece largely lacks that context, rendering it of limited value. That seems to be common among Bush supporters within the space community. Being that Bush is the first president since…well Bush to make a human lunar/Mars effort, I guess it’s understandable — to a certain point. That and the admin’s policy of kneecapping anyone who dissents.

By: Sam Dinkin

Sam Dinkin — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 05:42:16 +0000

If Clinton II is the same policy is Clinton I or 50% Clinton I and 50% Bush II, it may get an A for effort, but it’s tepid. NASA won’t be neglected or do worse than now. Two cheers for Hillary Clinton. Hip Hip.

By: Ferris Valyn

Ferris Valyn — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 21:02:28 +0000

One thing I do feel the need to complain about – Dinermann takes the atitude (a false atitude that I hear too often) is that people in the Democratic party must be fundementally opposed to manned spaceflight, and that is exceptionally far from the truth. This can and has been pointed out multiple times to multiple people, and I get a little sick of it. But people love to perpetuate myths.

By: Mike Fazan

Mike Fazan — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:08:55 +0000

Whether Clinton ends up being a strong proponent of crewed exploration or not, the eventual policy, as with the current VSE, will be very general and open to a number of different interpretations. The choice of Griffin’s successor will have the most bearing on what direction NASA takes over a year from now. I don’t think anyone has the faintest idea on who that could be.

By: Jeff Foust

Jeff Foust — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 17:51:06 +0000

TheSpaceReview ought to have an â€œofficialâ€ discussion forum, with the link at the bottom of the article to the discussion thread associated with it. Lots of news sites have that nowadays.

It’s on the to-do list, but it’s an awfully long list, trust me. There are a number of issues that have to be worked out, including comment moderation and spam concerns. (Not to mention to whole barfing thing…)

By: Rick Sterling

Rick Sterling — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 15:18:44 +0000

Lets also remember that the increases in the NASA budget that will restore Aeronautics, earth science(climate change studies) are simply minor changes in the overall federal budget. If Senator Clinton increased the NASA budget by 2-3 billion a year(remember her yes vote on the billion dollar increase to the NASA 2008 budget), eliminated Ares 1,developed Direct 2 & continued a manned lunar Mars program, we would have a “real manned spaceflight program”. Minor NASA budget increaes would allow all of this to happen.

By: Midwesterner

Midwesterner — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 14:49:54 +0000

Then everyone can sit around the lunar campfire singing Kumbaya.

It will be so much fun.