Congress, Lobbying, NASA

Is Huntsville’s “best friend” for NASA a freshman Democrat?

On Friday Huntsville’s “Second to None” task force, a group of local officials who lobby on space and defense issues, met with a member of Congress. Not the area’s own representative, Mo Brooks (R-AL), but with Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL) from Birmingham. And afterwards local officials declared her their newest ally in supporting NASA, and NASA Marshall in particular. “Rep. Terri Sewell to be voice for TN Valley on NASA affairs” declared the headline of a WAFF-TV report on the meeting, while Huntsville mayor Tommy Battle called her “our new best friend”. Local officials hope that Sewell, who serves on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, will help win support from her fellow Democrats on space topics.

Sewell seems willing to do that. “I see the role for myself and the rest of the congressional delegation as helping to promote that innovation and that excellence,” she said, as one account of the meeting reported. “I know that the Rocket City is a shining example of all that is right about the state of Alabama and about our innovation in science and technology throughout this country.” Sewell said that while the federal government needs to cut overall spending, it needs to make “strategic investments”, of which NASA is one example.

“NASA is an investment into the future and we have to have a future,” Battle said. “We sell technology out of this country. We have people that are smarter than any other place in the world sitting right here in Huntsville, Alabama and we have to sell that technology.” The reports didn’t indicate if Battle specified what Huntsville-based technology he thought should be sold “out of the country”.

11 comments to Is Huntsville’s “best friend” for NASA a freshman Democrat?

  • amightywind

    A strong NASA should be a bi-partisan issue. Why wouldn’t the Representative of Huntsville want to see it prosper? The outlier here is a quixotic administration with little regard for traditional NASA and bent on crony capitalism.

  • @ablastofhotair
    You are hilarious! As last night’s Republican townhall indicated, the days of the socialist style centrally controlled launch vehicle are numbered. You can call it “crony” capitalism all you want (you sound like the ghost of Lenin), but competition among companies is as American as apple pie. It’s just a matter of time before the Senate Launch System is history, no matter which party wins the presidency.

  • Major Tom

    “The outlier here is a quixotic administration with little regard for traditional NASA and bent on crony capitalism.”

    The Bush Administration isn’t really responsible for sole-sourcing Ares contracts to ATK and Rocketdyne that Aerojet is now threatening to challenge in court. You can blame Griffin for that.

    The COTS program was competed under Bush, as has CCDev under Obama.

    FWIW…

  • amightywind

    The Bush Administration isn’t really responsible for sole-sourcing Ares contracts to ATK and Rocketdyne…

    I invite Aerojet to bit one the SRB or SSME contract for Ares, err, SLS. Not sure they will get real far. They will not bid on the J2-X. I am not sure what they want. Some Obama bucks maybe. Good luck with that. They used to build some unreliable SRMs for the Titan III. After several explosions Lockmart replaced them with ATK boosters on the Titan IV.

  • Alan

    You’re referencing the Aerojet UA1205 SRM used on the Titan III series.

    I point you at “ORBITAL LAUNCH POTENTIAL: SATURN IB EARTH LAUNCH VEHICLE USING SOLID PROPELLANT MOTORS”, NASA TM X-53083 – 10 Sept, 1964 N74-74020 MSFC where NASA proposed to strap-on a number of SRMs (including the UA1205) as an option to uprate the Saturn V.

    So Windy, where is your proof of “They used to build some unreliable SRMs for the Titan III. After several explosions Lockmart replaced them with ATK boosters on the Titan IV.” or will you do the usual and change the subject.

    You have no shame Windy, and no willingness to back your statements with fact. Did you get your engineering degree out of a crackerjack box?

    Or are you just a fool who just craves attention?

  • sc220

    Wow. Ms. Sewell packs some academic firepower and accomplishments. She could be a force to be reckoned with, plus she has a wealth of relevant experience. However, it is in the nation’s best interest to steer clear of big government, design bureau projects. If that’s what she’s advocating for MSFC, then she’ll be sorely disappointed.

  • NASA Fan

    “NASA is an investment into the future and we have to have a future,” Battle said

    NASA does already have a future. Sadly it will look just like the past

  • amightywind

    Did you get your engineering degree out of a crackerjack box?

    Cornell ’86!

  • Coastal Ron

    amightywind wrote @ June 15th, 2011 at 10:35 am

    Cornell ’86!

    Were you and Andy Bernard roommates? ;-)

  • Byeman

    Windy is wrong as usual.

    Aerojet did not make SRM’s for the Titan III or IV. It was UTC Chemical Systems Division.

    Also, the ATK SRMU was not without problems. It busted its development budget by many times over. One blew up on a test stand and other had an accident during build up, killing some workers.

    The ATK SRMU was one of the reasons the TIV was so expensive.

  • This is about the Senate race in 2014. Every politician with potential wants to move up.

    Whether Sewell does is based on one imponderable: will Alabama continue to be consumed by White Rage?

    If it does, Beauregard Sessions will probably be re-elected or (heaven forbid) Angry Mo Brooks will take his place. If not, Sewell might have a chance.

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