we have NO leadership. the American public is used to having REAL leaders.

What has always fascinated me about America is the conflicting values that seem to exist within the culture. On one hand “leader figures” command respect, admiration and sometimes undying loyalty, but there is also a deep-seated antiauthoritarian culture of inherent distrust in anything government-related.

Not that this isn’t a conflict that exists in nearly any free society, but in America the sheer magnitude of dissonance seems to be on a wholly different level.

“Bolden and Obama have no realistic plan…”

Bush/Griffin claimed to have a realistic plan for Constellation, and Congress just cancelled it because of mismanagement. What does that tell you?

What it tells me is that NASA does a better job when it is allowed to stick close to it’s charter. Some in Congress want it to be a transportation company, just like what it was for 30 years with Shuttle, but that’s not NASA’s charter.

NASA’s self-described mission statement is to “pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research.”

The word “pioneer” is key here, because that implies doing it the first time, but then letting others follow and take over. We also have to do it in a sustainable way, since maybe you haven’t noticed, but NASA’s budget could get cut significantly.

So NASA can either spend money to do everything themselves, or they can teach the aerospace industry how to follow them and take over. In that way the Flexible Plan does just fine, since NASA can do small increments affordably and fast, and doesn’t have to shoulder the whole economic load.

Until that happens, everyone that tries to do one of your “realistic plans” will likely fail in the same way Griffin did with Constellation.

Bolden and Obama have no realistic plan, nor the guts to take the leadership positions nessessary to keep America # 1 in this industry.
They are self serving and don’t care about this industry or what happens to NASA.

They both talk a good talk, but can’t walk.

I do not put science in exploration per say. The pure science should beable to stand on it’s own. Once commercial start digging, NASA scientists can be looking though the layers for the science, just like what happens in mining operations on earth. I would include the sciences needed to create the systems for exploration/exploitation, like materials science for example.

McCain would probably not have been able to repeal the Bush tax cuts for the uber rich either which means the deficit would have continued its spiral.

The MidEast is evolving and thats not going to be pretty…but it is change and lets see how it works out. At least and unlike during Bush’s time, Americans are not dying in the process.

Space policy? It was doomed the minute Bush bought into a return to the Moon, as I predicted.

We would not be in this mess had Bush not screwed everything up. RGO

Goofy. Moron troll talk.

Does it mean having any kind of human spaceflight program?- Yes.

One that is oriented to going to the Moon? to Mars?- Yes.

To a near Earth asteroid?- Yes.

One that relies exclusively on its own government-owned and -operated crewed spacecraft, or one that purchases flights to at least low Earth orbit?- No- an either/or exclusivity is a false choice. A suite of mixed operations is inevitable for HSF operations.

Or, perhaps, one that places a much greater emphasis on robotic planetary exploration over human spaceflight altogether?- An old proposal. Probes have always led the way before HSF followed along and, in many cases, are the only way to explore destinations w/environments deadly to human beings.

The point is general ‘leadership.’ The specifics don’t necessarily demand Americans take a leading role but can partner w/other nations. And to the vast majority of average Americans with busy lives and who have little personal interest or have a livlihood associated w/t space program, that general ‘leadership’ is largely emblematic, reprsenting of American pride, American enterprise and American commitment to leading the world into the future. You know- the ‘Cernan intangibles.’ The ‘intangibles’ Americans embrace as symbold of national leadership.

@Robert G. Oler wrote @ July 6th, 2011 at 1:52 pm
“Rand on his site has some good questions; but in the end the question is without resolution.”

Nonsense. It doesnt agree w/t message so it attacks the messenger and their methodology.

When did they tell you that? Who were they?