The Right Way Forward on Space Exploration?

I regularly receive emails from Launchspace Training (www.launchspace.com). I got on their mailing list after I attended their Space Vehicle Mechanisms course at the Aerospace Mechanisms Symposium in 2008, and I can't recommend them highly enough.

Their emails advertise upcoming classes and always open with an editorial. I thought today's editorial was excellently written and went straight to the heart of what's going on right now with American Space Exploration. I asked Launchspace's Bob Russo if I could share it here and he graciously granted me his permission.

Please read on.

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The Right Way Forward on Space Exploration?

(Launchspace staff)

Last Friday the very successful filmmaker, James Cameron, applauded the President's proposed 2011 NASA budget and new space exploration plan in the Washington Post. He calls it a "bold plan that truly makes possible this nation's dreams for space." NASA and the President are proposing "the full embrace of commercial solutions for transporting astronauts to low Earth orbit after the space shuttle is retired this year." This will presumably free NASA to do what it does best, i.e., deep space exploration. However, without a crewed transportation system to go beyond low Earth orbit, all deep space missions will be robotic. While it is true that it is less expensive to send robots to the planets and the moon, this new proposal effectively prohibits American human space exploration from moving forward. While other nations are racing to the moon and beyond the U.S. appears to be moving backward.

So, what is the big deal? Unlike Mr. Cameron, NASA is not in the science fiction business, but it is a true scientific exploration and advancement organization. Commercial solutions are great if there is a market for those solutions. The only markets for human space exploration have been artificially created by governments, because human exploration is a fundamental characteristic of our species. In the U.S. NASA is the customer for human space exploration, but the administration is proposing that NASA focus only on near-Earth activities. Such an approach will almost certainly restrain America from maintaining its space leadership.

U.S. dreams for space exploration do not include limiting flights to the ISS while other countries are flying to the moon and beyond. If this new plan is adopted, the U.S. will become an "also ran" in space exploration. This is more like a nightmare than a dream for those of us who deal with reality on a daily basis, for the economy, for our international stature and world space leadership. More importantly, national security will surely suffer since space may soon become the new battleground. Lastly, the absence of exciting new space adventures will effectively discourage the best and brightest from entering the fields of space technology and exploration.

A vision for space exploration that is clouded by the smoke and mirrors of Hollywood is largely make believe. The hard truth is that the U.S. is in a war against mediocrity and this country is losing.

Some Great Videos in Support of Constellation

Here's the "Save Constellation!" video put together by one of the Ares engineers as a private effort.


Here's a cool video of a lot of the hardware testing that ATK has done on the Ares side of the program.


This one is great! This is the first time I've been able to laugh about this madness.


Gene Cernan is Angry...


And finally, Michio Kaku weighs in on Fox News.

My Take

While the Ares I crew launch vehicle has taken hits on performance, cost, and schedule, I think it has turned the corner and will be a huge success if allowed to continue. Still, I understand why some may want to leave it behind and move to a strategy of man-rating existing launch vehicles.

What I can't begin to comprehend is how it makes sense to throw out the Orion spacecraft as well. Orion's first flight test is in April! Orion will be ready for its first LEO launches in 2013! Why on Earth would we throw away a spacecraft that is just getting ready to take flight? We're just now getting to the good part.

Save Constellation!

I want to make sure that all of you are aware that the White House's 2011 budget, as proposed on Monday this week, cancels the entire Constellation Program.

Constellation is our space exploration program to replace the shuttle fleet. Its aim is to return to the Moon and develop the technologies we will need to execute manned missions to Mars.

The White House's new plan leaves us with no destination beyond low Earth orbit. Instead NASA would buy rides from commercial "crew taxis" to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station. The worst part is that it wastes the $9B we've already spent on Constellation and spends $2.5B MORE just to shut it all down. This would be a tragic waste. If you want to see some of the results we've produced with that $9B, watch this video.

If you believe, as I do, that we must not retreat from our space exploration goals, then please take a few minutes to appeal to your representatives. Below is a short list of simple ways to help out and learn more about what's happening.

1. Email your congressmen, senators, and your governor (www.GoBoldlyNASA.org makes this very easy - more info below)
2. WRITE a real letter (Yes, by hand and in ink - the envelope, too) to these people (enter your zip code to get names and addresses for your reps)
   
3. Vote here
4. Share this page with your loved ones, colleagues, friends, and enemies
   
5. Join the "Save Constellation!" Facebook group