Obama Speaks of NASA Being Adrift

Obama calls NASA an agency ‘adrift’ and in need of new mission, Orlando Sentinel
“OBAMA: … I will soon be appointing a new NASA director. I think it’s important for the long term vibrancy of our space program to think through what NASA’s core mission is and what the next great adventures and discoveries are under the NASA banner. The space shuttle program has yielded some extraordinary scientific discoveries, but I think it’s fair to say that there’s been a sense of drift to our space program over the last several years. We need to restore that sense of excitement and interest that existed around the space program. Shaping a mission for NASA that is appropriate for the 21st century is going to be one of the biggest tasks of my new NASA director. Once we have that vision, then I think that it’s going to be much easier to build support for expanding our space efforts. What I don’t what NASA to do is just limp along. And I don’t think that’s good for the economy in the region either. …”
“OBAMA: First of all, we have authorized were budgeted for additional shuttle launches that had not been scheduled. So we’re extending the life of the shuttle because a) I think it is doing some important work and b) we are very mindful of the economic impact of the space program in the region.”
NASA FY 2010 Budget Details
“NASA will fly the Space Shuttle to complete the International Space Station and then retire the Shuttle in 2010; an additional flight may be conducted if it can safely and affordably be flown by the end of 2010.”
Editor’s note: I am not sure how you can be saying that you will be “extending the life of the shuttle” at the same time that you state in budget documents that you are going to “retire the Shuttle in 2010”.