“Then you must be riding high in fat city Coastal Ron.”

I’m just herding cats like everyone else.

“My record? I have no record Coastal Ron, just goals.”

For good or bad, on the internet (and this forum) everyone has a record…

Then you must be riding high in fat city Coastal Ron.

My record? I have no record Coastal Ron, just goals.

“Then you have either missed the point of the Vision or you have rejected it.”

Ha! Well, let’s take a look at the VSE Goals & Objectives:

- Implement a sustained and affordable human and robotic program to explore the solar system and beyond;

Yep, I do that, especially by advocating for ways to lower the cost to access space. If you can’t lower the cost, you’ll never be able to do anything significant beyond LEO (or even in LEO). Money matters Anne, and I don’t think you get that…

- Extend human presence across the solar system, starting with a human return to the Moon by the year 2020, in preparation for human exploration of Mars and other destinations;

Yep, I have always advocated for human exploration, although I have also stated that the 2020 Moon date was an aspiration, and not an edict. Congress agrees with me on that also. For me, going to the Moon is part of our organic push into space, but does not need to be done in any particular sequence – let the needs dictate when we go to the Moon, and what we do there.

- Develop the innovative technologies, knowledge, and infrastructures both to explore and to support decisions about the destinations for human exploration; and

Right out of Obama’s NASA proposal, and a key part of the current NASA direction. For me, this is the area that was neglected most with Constellation, and needs to be focused on most now.

- Promote international and commercial participation in exploration to further U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests.

I have always supported the International Space Station – I could have said the ISS, but some people tend to forget that the “I” means that we’re partners in this endeavor with 14 other countries (i.e. International). The other part of this section is “commercial participation in exploration”, and I have been loudly advocating for this, mainly from the standpoint of lowering the overall costs to explore, all while keeping NASA as the lead entity (we’re a long ways from corporate exploration).

For you, Anne, you have always made it seem like the VSE’s ONLY goal was the Moon – not the technology and systems to get there, and certainly not going beyond to Mars and other destinations.

I think I support the VSE better than you. I’ll let my record speak for itself, as your’s already does for you.

Then you have either missed the point of the Vision or you have rejected it.

“I’m glad you’re beginning to see the objectives of the VSE.”

I always have. But I’ve also been part of the majority that saw the Moon goal of 2020 as a wish, not a requirement. The 3/4 of the VSE “Goals & Objectives” that don’t mention the Moon have always been needed before any serious HSF return to the Moon.

Maybe you’re beginning to see the light? Who knows, Christmas is right around the corner…

I’m glad you’re beginning to see the objectives of the VSE.

I would add that the asset is already paid for. I wonder if the ‘Lunar base now’ advocates got their way, and the Nation spent 100 billion in building it, would they be okay with destroying it a couple years after it was paid for and finally became operational?

“Although dates were given for lunar return, they were intended as guidelines, not deadlines.”

The VSE used dates as BOTH guidelines and deadlines:

“B. Space Exploration Beyond Low Earth Orbit
The Moon
• Conduct the first extended human expedition to the lunar surface as early as 2015, but no later than the year 2020″

“as early as 2015″ is a guideline, “but no later than the year 2020″ is a deadline. (page 6 of 32)
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/55583main_vision_space_exploration2.pdf

The strategy versus tactics is straight out of Griffin’s text in this report on page 2 and 3.

http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/386961main_091509-Griffin%20-%20House%20Science%20Committee%20Testimony.pdf

Neither the facts nor your own logic support your conclusions.