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Policy

Space Foundation Issues Report on U.S. Civil Space Program

By Keith Cowing
NASA Watch
December 4, 2012
Filed under

Space Foundation Recommends NASA Adopt Pioneering Purpose
“In a report released today, the Space Foundation made a number of recommendations for strengthening the focus, oversight and funding of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and strengthening the U.S. civil space program. The 70-page report and a separate executive summary are now being distributed to policymakers, industry leaders and media by the Space Foundation, an independent non-profit advocacy and education organization committed to advancing space exploration and utilization.”

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

4 responses to “Space Foundation Issues Report on U.S. Civil Space Program”

  1. mathjoseph says:
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    I’ll second that hope, but I’m guessing no one is holding their breath. 

  2. Littrow says:
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    It really does an excellent job of identifying a legitimate path to the future. It probably will be ignored, more than anything else because the existing  bureaucrats will find it threatening. 

  3. dogstar29 says:
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    * Returning NASA to its roots by establishing pioneering as its singular, compelling purpose and transitioning non-pioneering activities to other government and private sector organizations.

    NASA’s roots are in NACA, and research and development that provides American industry with the ability to compete with the rest of the world for high-tech manufacturing, jobs, and exports. If we fail this mission there won’t be enough tax dollars to pay for human space flight. 

    * Stabilizing NASA leadership by dissociating appointment of the NASA administrator from the presidential election cycle.

    Are they saying that it was a mistake when George W. Bush abruptly abandoned twenty years of work on RLVs, LEO infrastructure, and practical access to space in favor of “Apollo on Steroids”, a program using giant expendable rockets to send a handful of people to Mars? Or just that they don’t care for Obama and Congress should run NASA directly?

  4. Anonymous says:
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    Nicely done. Good process emphasis, with more actionable focus on who needs to come together, with what purpose. Especially readable too. The report is much more comprehensive, including incentives and culture for example, and facts on the ground, vs. the NRC one that came out the next day.

    Lets hope it contaminates some thinking in the right places, and throughout the players involved.