Is The U.S. Retreating From Space? Part II

I’d like to return again to the subject of the U.S. manned space program. I’ve written on this subject before and there have been some important developments to note. First, I just want to state again that I realize that this subject may, at first glance, appear to be a domestic concern and not really within the purview of our “U.S. role in the world” focus. I’m accepting as self-evident the notion that the U.S. space program is known and respected the world over, that it enjoys iconic status as a symbol of American power and prestige, and that it therefore falls within our focus. Ok, that said, a quick recap is called for: President Bush directed NASA to plan to return to the Moon and establish a base camp to prepare for a future mission to Mars and the asteroids. Formally, this was called the Constellation Program, or the Vision for Space Exploration, and informally, the “Moon, Mars & Beyond” program. President Obama accepted the findings of a study committee that this program would be expensive and difficult and that it would be easier and cheaper to do something else. He therefore submitted a budget to Congress that eliminated the Constellation Program and proposed funds for commercial space taxi services to transport to low-Earth orbit.. This quick summary brings us up to the week.

Of course, I should note that the above summary neglects to convey the opposition that has been slowly growing to the Obama plan. Once it became clear that the U.S. would no longer have a manned exploration program and that we would be dependent on other countries for access to the space station our shuttles and astronauts built, a groundswell of opposition arose from elected officials, the space community, and average citizens. That opposition culminated this week in a remarkable open letter to President Obama from veterans of the glory days of NASA urging the President to reverse course. Former astronaut Neil Armstrong joined two other Apollo era astronauts to pen the following:

For The United States, the leading space faring nation for nearly half a century, to be without carriage to low Earth orbit and with no human exploration capability to go beyond Earth orbit for an indeterminate time into the future, destines our nation to become one of second or even third rate stature. While the President’s plan envisages humans traveling away from Earth and perhaps toward Mars at some time in the future, the lack of developed rockets and spacecraft will assure that ability will not be available for many years. Without the skill and experience that actual spacecraft operation provides, the USA is far too likely to be on a long downhill slide to mediocrity. America must decide if it wishes to remain a leader in space. If it does, we should institute a program which will give us the very best chance of achieving that goal.

Will President Obama heed their advice and save the U.S. manned space program? We may have an answer as early as tomorrow as President Obama visits the space coast to outline his vision for NASA. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with this video report from MSNBC which notes the Armstrong letter as well as other recent developments.