Comments on: Augustine Commission web site up

By: Jim Soboleski

Jim Soboleski — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:53:58 +0000

I have read the initial summary of the report and expected much more. I hope the actual report is more detailed and specific. My initial impression is that the panel should have been much more technically qualified, maybe comprised of Aerospace Engineers with experience in the space program. General comments like the commercial industry can do this etc. are vague and offer no cost estimates. Yes the commercial industry can launch satellites. We are talking about launching people back into space…with all the liabilities that go with it.
The whole purpose with going with the Ares V is the great payload capability. Nothing else can match it. Commercially there is nothing that can come close. The panel paints the impression that they are much more compitent than the numerous NASA Engineers and scientists. Based upon what I have read in their report, I doubt it. Fund NASA as needed to complete the Ares program. The program is making good progress for the endeaver set forth. Follow the commissions report and well be trying to play catch up with the Chinease. Better yet put togeather a commission that has more credibility and actually presents a thorough detailed analysis instead of one that seems to have bias against the Ares program from the get go. I trust NASA…not sure about this commission…could have found more facts just searching the web. Thanks

By: Gary W. Johnson

Gary W. Johnson — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:03:02 +0000

There are three articles on my blog site you ought to look at, before you make your recommendation to the President. They are dated 9-6-09, 7-22-09, and 4-21-09. That site is http://exrocketman.blogspot.com. I am a former aerospace engineer, now a teacher. I spent 20 years in aero/defense new product development work before becoming a teacher, including the space launch business. If I can help you, I will. Please contact me.

Gary W. Johnson, PE, PhD
McGregor, Texas

By: Walter C. Nelson

Walter C. Nelson — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:39:13 +0000

I respectfully request an opportunity to speak to the Augustine Committee during the July 30, 2009, public hearing at Cocoa Beach.
I am an 85 year-old aerospace engineer, a retiree from the Kennedy Space Center, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin (1948), and an ex-prisoner of war.
For the past eight years I have been writing and lecturing to civic groups and student engineers about space travel and exploration. In pursuing these activities I have developed information that I believe will be beneficial to the findings of the Committee. I have produced a DVD movie called The Way to the Moon and Mars, copies of which have been delivered to NASA Administrator Mike Griffin and Senator Bill Nelson. Also I would like to present copies to each member of the Committee.

By: Orlando Buitrago

Orlando Buitrago — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:06:41 +0000

Please take 9:18 of your time to remember what is at stake in your review. Sometimes we need to go back a step to leap forward.

Please share with the members at your leisure.

President Kennedy’s speech at Rice University.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTyYM-dUgCI

Here at KSC we look forward to your visit at the end of the month.

Best Regards

By: Sharon Y Garrett

Sharon Y Garrett — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:47:20 +0000

How do I get a schedule of meetings in the Los Angeles, CA area?

By: red

red — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:46:26 +0000

Right now the committee hearings are scheduled for Washington, D.C., Huntsville, Houston, and Cape Canaveral. These aren’t exactly the locations I’d pick for non-biased feedback. Hopefully they’ll pick some NASA regions that aren’t heavily invested in the current ESAS approach, and some regions noted for commercial spaceflight activity. I might suggest the Boulder/Denver/Colorado Springs region, Las Cruces/White Sands region, NASA Ames/Silicon Valley region, Las Vegas, Oshkosh, WI region (during the event), and Mojave/JPL region as examples that might start to provide some balance.

By: kert

kert — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 05:55:54 +0000

Current state of public-voted important questions looks pretty sad:
http://hsf.nasa.gov/qa.php