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Policy

Making Space Policy In Secret (Again)

By Keith Cowing
NASA Watch
March 30, 2015
Filed under
Making Space Policy In Secret (Again)

Keith’s note: It has been more than a month since the Pioneering Space National Summit was held in Washington, DC – an event whose attendees and discussions have remained more or less secret. Other than a paragraph with a bunch of random buzz words nothing has been heard from this group of space illuminati. Its as if their secret meeting never even happened.
Now there is yet another closed door, off-the-record event being held in Washington in an undisclosed location for 2 days this week titled “Humans Orbiting Mars” sponsored by the Planetary Society (an organization that was not included in the list of sponsors for the earlier event for some strange reason). Once again many NASA civil servants will be in attendance and speaking in an official capacity as government officials – but we’ll never know what they say since the rest of us are not special enough to be invited – or allowed to listen in. Yet this event – just like its already-evaporating predecessor – has assigned itself with the task of setting space policy priorities for a space program paid for by 300 million people.

But why should the rest of us need to know what they are doing? After all, America’s space policy is so well-coordinated, long-range, inclusive, strategically sound, publicly popular, bipartisan and Congressionally supported, that the citizenry doesn’t need to be involved, right?
Will this second secret space event end up like the first? The first event’s organizers are clearly enamored with their own imaginary stature within the space community and have a constant need to hold clandestine space policy cabals. The second event is organized by the Planetary Society, an organization with a membership much larger and diverse than all of the other groups combined – and they have a tendency to do much more out in the open. From what I understand the Planetary Society event has many of the same tired voices and usual suspects that always seem to frequent these space policy events – but with some newer voices added. I am told that much more of this second event’s discussions will eventually be made semi-public. Lets wait and see.
Either way, this troubling tendency for self-proclaimed space advocates and NASA civil servants to privately meet where there is no scrutiny or transparency needs to change. This all needs to be done in the sunlight so that the rest of us know what is going on with our nation’s space program – not just by a self-selected few. There will never be a space policy that everyone agrees with – the same goes for any national policy. But throwing the same bunch of people in a room again and again without any outside input is just begging for intellectual inbreeding – which is exactly what space policy has engaged in for the past few decades.
And just so we are clear about this: I am also part of the problem that I rant on about. I am just another self-appointed voice. I do not represent the broader populace. Without the engaged support of the broader populace this space policy meeting also will end up evaporating in the heat of its own irrelevance.
Good News Everyone: Another Closed Door Humans to Mars Thing, earlier post
More Choir Practice in an Echo Chamber by the Usual Suspects, earlier post
Yet Another Space Group: The Space Illuminati, earlier post
Alliance for Space Development Revealed (Yawn), earlier post
Recent Space Poll: The Public is Not Always in Synch With Space Advocates, earlier post
Pioneering Space National Summit Details Emerge, earlier post
Yet Another Plan For Outer Space, earlier post

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

3 responses to “Making Space Policy In Secret (Again)”

  1. AstroInMI says:
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    Hmmm, this one is more aggravating since I am helping to pay for it as a Planetary Society member yet know nothing about it. Normally The Planetary Society far exceeds expectations in announcing their work, being transparent, and keeping their supporters (the ones who pay their salaries) better informed. This is disappointing that they would conduct such a meeting yet not even give members a chance to either participate or even know who is attending.

  2. TheBrett says:
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    I think it’s a donor-and-NASA schmoozefest, designed to get more money and figure out what the NASA folks actually want to do on Mars. So it doesn’t bother me that much.

  3. Anonymous says:
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    Its easier to maintain the appearance and perception of a space program plan, if only those who are known to concur with the plan, attend. Now need more snazzy animated computer graphics and power point presentations. A few scale models are also helpful in maintaining the perception.