The Politics Behind Opposing Changes at NASA

Alabama lawmakers vow to save Constellation moon mission, Huntsville Times

"Already, Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., plans to use a Feb. 24 hearing to explore the feasibility of continuing with Ares I testing in the hope of developing a "light" version of the Ares V cargo launch vehicle "so America isn't relying only (on) commercial vendors," a spokesman said via e-mail."

Hatch Blasts Obama, The Main Street Journal

"Hatch has played a vital role in helping Utah's NASA contractors diversify their manufacturing base and products. Over the past three years, for example, he helped secure nearly $30 million for ATK/Hill Air Force Base's Advanced Automated Composite Technologies and Manufacturing Center."

Giffords should resign as Chair of Space Subcommittee, Jesse Kelley For Congress

"Representative Gabrielle Giffords should immediately resign as Chair of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee. She has a clear conflict of interest from the tens of thousands of dollars her campaign has received from the aerospace industry. She took in over $10,000 in one day alone from people at large corporations such as ATK, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and United Space Alliance. These are companies who stand to make or lose millions of dollars based on decisions made by her subcommittee."

Jobs at stake in Louisiana as NASA shifts gears, Business Week

"In a statement, U.S. Sen. David Vitter, R-La., said he was concerned about the shift in the space program's direction, saying it would be devastating for Michoud. He said he favored a plan building on existing technologies based on the shuttle. "But we should do it now, not just talk about it vaguely for the future and lose all of our human capital and expertise and Michoud and other centers," said Vitter, a member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Science and Space."

Battle over NASA's future heads to Congress, Orlando Sentinel

"President Barack Obama's proposal to kill NASA's moon program and replace it with commercial rockets has drawn the ire of both Democrats and Republicans, who protest the move is either a "death march" for human spaceflight or a "radical departure" that will cost thousands of jobs."


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4 Comments

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It will be interesting (and fun) to see if all of the pontification from Congress actually amounts to anything, especially from Democrat Senate members and House members, who have NASA centers in their districts.

A radical departure from failure is no vice. NASA is now going to do what it should have done 10 years ago. This is a case of lead, follow or get out of the way.

Obama's ripping the soul out of NASA and thus our nation's spirt of exploration.

Those that doubt congress has teeth, better wise up. It's going to get bloody.

You're completely wrong. Those who defend the status quo and the path of guaranteed failure named Constellation do not have a passion for advancing space exploration. They have a knack for building empires. Anyone who defends this program just doesn't get it. We were headed for a cliff just as plain as the nose on your face. This new direction is our only hope. Sometimes I hope this program gets reinstated so that it will fail in 10 or 15 years and destroy this agency so the US can get on with truly exploring space. The I could say I told you so. But I really don't want that to happen so I can only pray that Congress does not reverse this truly visionary change. The Vision for Space Exploration is more of a hallucination than a vision.

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This page contains a single entry by Keith Cowing published on February 2, 2010 7:50 PM.

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