Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Obama Confirms Commitment To Space Exploration

President Obama and the head of NASA met in the Oval Office this afternoon and discussed the future of the nation's space exploration program

"The President confirmed his commitment to human space exploration, and the goal of ensuring that the nation is on a sustainable path to achieving our aspirations in space," said White House spokesman Nicholas Shapiro.

Obama and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, a former astronaut and crewmate of U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Orlando, talked about the findings of a White House review panel headed by former Lockheed Martin chairman Norman Augustine and options the committee presented in a report delivered in October.

"Against a backdrop of serious challenges with the existing program, the Augustine Committee has offered several key findings and a range of options for how the nation might improve its future human space flight activities," Shapiro said. "The two spoke about the Administrator's work at NASA and they also discussed the Augustine Committee's analysis."

Made up of 8 aerospace experts and two former astronauts, the Augustine panel said NASA's current Project Constellation was on an "unsustainable trajectory." The panel presented eight options, six of which would ax NASA's Ares I rocket and instead invest in the development of commercial crew transportation services.

Check the print editions of Florida Today on Thursday for more details. Gannett's Bill Theobald was the White House print pool reporter today and will be filing a story for Florida Today, USA Today and other Gannett newspapers around the country.



21 comments:

Anonymous said...

And we are supposed to believe his commitment?

Anonymous said...

There aren't enough union members in NASA for Obama Hussein to give them any borrowed money.

Anonymous said...

The way the GOP is acting I would give them zip.

Anonymous said...

Just remember this wingnuts, it was GW Bush who put a date on retiring the shuttle...not Obama. The NASA employess need to understand that their jobs are like the construction industry and are not a sure thing and when the job is done...well, like in construction...it's done. Then you look for another job. The shuttle program is over. Again, Bush set the date for the shuttle retirement...not Obama. At least admit it...it's a fact.

Anonymous said...

He's committed to exploring space to find even more things to tax.

Anonymous said...

whatever he says is the opposite

Anonymous said...

Don't be so hard on Mr. Obama, why just look at the inspiration in this photo of him pointing up towards Mars while Charly Bolden cheers him on in the background (in full astro suit)He knows where he must go for his next Noble Peace award, the Martian colony has conveyed their wishes to him through a special radio that only Nancy Pelosi can operate.

Anonymous said...

"The President confirmed his commitment to human space exploration, and the goal of ensuring that the nation is on a sustainable path to achieving our aspirations in space," said White House spokesman Nicholas Shapiro.

TRANSLATION:

Of course we should not pursue human space exploration. It's too costly and unmanned exploration is good enough.

We can't put this low priority issue of achieving our aspirations in space in the way of funding ACORN !!!

Anonymous said...

To the Left wing nuts: The termination was a planning item by Bush. It most certainly would have been revised. With Obama, only money for more control of banks and auto makers is certain.

Anonymous said...

There should already be a replacement up and running for this outdated shuttle program anyway. We're operating off of 60's technology in the 21st century. That is unacceptable in my opinion. We should not even be in this situation. How sad.

Anonymous said...

FT is miking this info. Old news - repeated.

Anonymous said...

The only thing Obama is for is supporting terrorists. Prove it? Look at the rules of engagement when fighting terrorists in Afghanistan.

Todd Halvorson said...

Anonymous: Don't know how this is old news when the meeting didn't happen until 3:05 p.m., and we posted an update at 4:17 p.m. You guys are hard to please.

Anonymous said...

Out dated 60's technology and it still better than anyone else...The Space Shuttle was and is the best thing out there...deal with it.

Anonymous said...

President Obama can reverse the retirement of the Space Shuttle Program and recertify the orbiters to 2017!

It seems that President Obama is only interested in making the U.S. -- a third-rate nation in manned space exploration. He would rather have unemployed U.S. aerospace workers.

China will be #1 in manned space flight, after the Space Shuttle is retired.

Anonymous said...

I appreciate the post Todd, it's the only thing I could find on the Net about today's meeting that had any statements whatsoever. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

More news surfacing on the new direction for NASA from today's meeting with President Obama and Nasa Administrator Bowden;
http://is.gd/5rXr9

Anonymous said...

Constellation will cost $150 billon, yet it will be inferior to shuttle in crew size, flight rate, payload, and cost. Constellation technology is older than Shuttle. What practical benefits will Constellation bring to the taxpayers of America?

Shuttle is flying more safely and efficiently than ever before. If we cancel it now, we will not see anything as capable and sophisticated in our lifetimes. Never again will a spaceship land on the Space Coast. The Augustine Commission recommended scrapping the Ares I, yet NASA is ignoring it. We should keep Shuttle flying until 2020, as originally planed.

>>China will be #1 in manned space flight, after the Space Shuttle is retired.<<

All the more reason not to retire the Shuttle.

Anonymous said...

Take a gander at this article.

http://blogs.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2009/12/exclusiveobama.html

If it is true, Brevard can kiss all space jobs good bye for the next 10+ years.

Anonymous said...

Todd, thanks for reading our comments!

Hope you have a chance to ask what practical benefits Constellation will bring to the American taxpayer. Exports? New industries, beyond just the spending of tax dollars? Environment? Education? Health? National Security?

Brevard County once led the world in commercial satellite launches, which do earn money. How many have we had in the past year, one? Shouldn't we be more worried about that? Even the Europeans are leaving us behind, and they only work 35 hours a week.

In science, what can Constellation do better than Shuttle/ISS? Microgravity? Astronomy? Earth observation? All easier from LEO. Constellation can do lunar geology, but planetary scientists are interested in more dynamic bodies, and because Constellation is so expensive, robotics would be cheaper even on the moon. Tourism? At $2B+ per mission, it isn't obvious who could afford it.

The Shuttle is finally working well. It's the most capable and sophisticated spacecraft the world has ever seen. Certainly it should be replaced when we have something better, but it just doesn't make sense to abandon it now for an older technology.

Anonymous said...

This is not the 1970's there are 540,000 people in Brevard County. I don't think 7000 people laid off will shut the county down. You should have saved the extra money you were given to stay on until the end. Sell the Shuttle to China for real jobs. They took them while we were in space.