NASA Memo on Education and Sequester Activities
Keith’s note: Last week NASA Education AA Leland Melvin sent a memo out to the Education Coordinating Committee regarding funding issues. In that memo he more or less exempted all of the activities that his directorate funds from cuts associated with sequester-related budget activities. I have asked NASA PAO for a copy of that letter and will post it if/when NASA provides me with a copy.
Keith’s 11:00 am update: NASA PAO has decline to provde a copy of this letter and has said that I need to file a FOIA request in order to get it. I have filed the FOIA request. This usually takes weeks although they could expedite this. With all of these memos circulating around – with contradictory and confusing statements in them – you would think that NASA Headquarters would want to clarify things for people and just issue the memo along with an overall statement of policy regarding the topics raised in these other memos.
Keith’s 11:45 am update: Here’s the memo – from sources other than NASA. Letter from NASA AA for Education Leland Melvin to the Education Coordinating Council on Waivers for Education and Public Outreach Activities
I watched some of the Great Moon Buggy race. I did not see many NASA people there. Locals should be able to handle it. To me that race is strange. Astronauts would not be able to pedal far on the Moon. I guess they think that allowing only bicycle derived vehicles saves money. It does turn it into a athletic contest. Any team can bolt 2 bicycles together and race. I would like something a little realistic. Used electric golf are cheap. Stock or give points for light weight, solar charge,radio,antenna,no puncture tires etc. Limit the speed. The voltage can be increased and they will move. Probably something like safety stops this.
The Moon Buggy Race has a lot of support from the Space & Rocket Center and UAH and it’s just outside the fence of MSFC, so it’s somewhat unique as far as additional support besides NASA. Not all events are so lucky. The buggies have to meet certain criteria, including a requirement to fold up and fit within a defined space. The course itself is rather punishing on the vehicles and a number of them don’t finish. The emphasis is on engineering to a set of specific requirements. An electric cart race would be interesting, but that is another type of contest.