- LRK -
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http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1499/1
And now we wait.
by Jeff Foust
Monday, October 26, 2009
For months the space community had been waiting for it, and on Thursday they finally got it: the final report of the Augustine committee. Jeff Foust reports on the reaction and how the report is the next step, but not the last step, in crafting a new space policy.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1499/1
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I watched the press briefing on the Internet and have been reading through the 157 page PDF Augustine Report file.
I am not sure why we needed a blue ribbon panel of experts to tell us that Congress cut NASA's funding.
There is a cute interactive flash presentation for the Constellation program showing the Orion docking with the ISS as test of carrying astronauts to the ISS.
I guess that will just be another publication of proposed missions that never get completed.
Too many posters I have, of missions to nowhere.
- LRK -
Sort of hard to dock with the ISS if it is de-orbited before you have a rocket or a crew capsule to get there.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/main/index.html
- LRK -
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http://www.nasa.gov/offices/hsf/meetings/10_22_pressconference.html
Date and Time: October 22, 2009 - 1 pm EDT
Location Information:
Zenger Room of the National Press Club
529 14th St. NW, in Washington, D.C.
The Review of U.S. Human Spaceflight Plans Committee Chairman Norman Augustine will hold a press conference at 1 p.m. EDT, on Thursday, Oct. 22, in the Zenger Room of the National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW, in Washington.
Augustine will be accompanied by committee member Ed Crawley. Printed copies of the committee's final report will be available during the press conference.
Review of U.S. Human Spaceflight Plans Committee - Final Report (pdf, 7.7MB)
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/396093main_HSF_Cmte_FinalReport.pdf
snip
Video link here as well as on the NASA site - LRK - http://vimeo.com/7270323
Also Senate hearings - http://vimeo.com/user1955131
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I copied part of the Executive Summary from the Augustine Commission before and it has been suggested that I should have copied a bit more.
I have done so and unacceptable I think the comment is, that if we can't afford the money to achieve the goals we should accept the disappointment of setting lesser goals.
Why should I accept the disappointment?
Maybe I should accept the resignation of those in Congress that don't wish to fund our ability to develop space properly and maybe THEY should just accept the disappointment of not being re-elected.
- LRK -
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The Augustine Commission issued its final report.
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/396093main_HSF_Cmte_FinalReport.pdf
[7.9 MB, 157 pages ]
Review of Human Space Flight Plans Committee
p9. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The U.S. human spaceflight program appears to be on an unsustainable trajectory. It is perpetuating the perilous practice of pursuing goals that do not match allocated resources. Space
operations are among the most demanding and unforgiving pursuits ever undertaken by humans. It really is rocket science. Space operations become all the more difficult when means do not match aspirations. Such is the case today.
The nation is facing important decisions on the future of human spaceflight. Will we leave the close proximity of low-Earth orbit, where astronauts have circled since 1972, and explore the
solar system, charting a path for the eventual expansion of human civilization into space? If so, how will we ensure that our exploration delivers the greatest benefit to the nation? Can we explore with reasonable assurances of human safety? Can the nation marshal the resources to
embark on the mission?
Whatever space program is ultimately selected, it must be matched with the resources needed for its execution. How can we marshal the necessary resources? There are actually more options available today than in 1961, when President Kennedy challenged the nation to “commit itself to the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth.”
First, space exploration has become a global enterprise.
Many nations have aspirations in space, and the combined annual budgets of their space programs are comparable to NASA’s. If the United States is willing to lead a global program of
exploration, sharing both the burden and benefit of space exploration in a meaningful way, significant accomplishments could follow. Actively engaging international partners in a manner adapted to today’s multi-polar world could strengthen geopolitical relationships, leverage global financial and technical resources, and enhance the exploration enterprise.
Second, there is now a burgeoning commercial space industry.
If we craft a space architecture to provide opportunities to this industry, there is the potential—not without risk—that the costs to the government would be reduced. Finally, we are also more experienced than in 1961, and able to build on that experience as we design an exploration program. If, after designing cleverly, building alliances with partners, and engaging commercial providers, the nation cannot afford to fund the effort to pursue the goals it would like to embrace, it should accept the disappointment of setting lesser goals.
snip
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To fund or not to fund, that is the question.
Congress, are you listening?
To be re-elected, THAT is the question.
- LRK -
We need to learn to LIVE off world, NOT JUST GO CAMPING. - IMHO
Is this just going to be another web link that I have to go look up on the Web Archive? http://www.archive.org/index.php
http://web.archive.org/web/*hh_/www.nasa.gov/#
http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/home/index.html
At the core of NASA's future space exploration is a return to the moon, where we will build a sustainable long term human presence.
Thanks for looking up with me.
Larry Kellogg
Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
Twitter: http://twitter.com/lrkellogg
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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK
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