White House Direction: Open For Interpretation By NASA?

President Bush Announces New Vision for Space Exploration Program, White House

“Beginning no later than 2008, we will send a series of robotic missions to the lunar surface to research and prepare for future human exploration.”

Lunar Orbiter Launch Date At Risk, Aviation Week

“NASA has reserved time for a later launch in case it can’t meet its Oct. 28, 2008 target date to send the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) to the moon.”

Editor’s note: Gee Mike, if you miss the 2008 time frame mandated by the White House, what does this say about the need to adhere to the 2010 shuttle retirement date? If you are going to invoke White House direction in terms of what you do – and when – then you can’t ignore one deadline and enforce the other – and expect people to take your rationale seriously.