Apollo Vets Are Not Happy Today (White House Responds)

Roundup: Obama’s policy aims to revitalize space program John Holdren and Charlie Bolden
“Neil Armstrong, Jim Lovell and Gene Cernan are genuine American heroes who brought immense courage and competence to the historic manned moon missions they led. Obviously, they are more than entitled to their opinions about the best way forward for America’s space program today. But their opinions would be more worthy of attention if they were based on a more accurate understanding of where we are, how we got here, and how President Obama’s space policy, far from “grounding” JFK’s space legacy, is positioning us to revitalize it with new technology, new capabilities and new destinations (“Is Obama grounding JFK’s space legacy?”, The Forum, Wednesday).”
Column: Is Obama grounding JFK’s space legacy?, By Neil Armstrong, Jim Lovell and Gene Cernan, USA Today
“President Obama’s proposed 2011 budget did not include funds for Constellation, therefore essentially canceling the program. It sent shock waves throughout NASA, the Congress and the American people. Nearly $10 billion had been invested in design and development of the program. Many respected experts and members of Congress voiced concern about the president’s proposal. Some supported the president’s plan,but most were critical. The supporters’ biases were often evident, particularly when there was a vested or economic interest in the outcome. Obama’s advisers, in searching for a new and different NASA strategy with which the president could be favorably identified, ignored NASA’s operational mandate and strayed widely from President Kennedy’s vision and the will of the American people.”