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Transition

Time to go Mike

By Keith Cowing
NASA Watch
November 21, 2008

Michael Griffin Chats About NASA’s Future Under President Obama, Discovery Space

“Irene Klotz: The Government Accountability Office (GAO), in its tally sheet for the new administration, identified the shuttle’s retirement as one of the top…

Michael Griffin: …issues for the transition. Yes, I know. I found that amusing.

IK: Why amusing?

MG: I think the country has enough interesting topics confronting us in the present day and time that space shuttle retirement is probably not deservedly on that list. That’s just my opinion. That’s a matter of — to me — technical program management in the space program and should be approached as such. So I noted the GAO’s assessment of that as a top issue for President Obama with some amusement.”

Editor’s note: I find this exchange rather amusing – and troubling as well. Space policy – specifically human spaceflight – became a significant factor in the 2008 election – albeit focused in Florida – one that both McCain and Obama spent a lot of time on. Position papers and regular statements were regularly fired out by both campaigns – with spill over to a national audience. In addition, the GAO, not always known for its rosy appreciation of NASA’s progress, thinks that the future of human spaceflight is a national priority for the new Administration. And Mike Griffin thinks that this is all “amusing” and that space is “probably not deservedly on that list” of national priorities? Gee, talk about a way to take the wind out of every NASA employee’s sails. If NASA’s leader thinks that space is not important any more…

Time to go Mike.

NASA Watch founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.