Monday, February 01, 2010

Obama Goes Commercial With U.S. Human Spaceflight

President Obama will roll out a proposed 2011 budget today aimed at launching a new generation of human spaceflight that relies on commercial companies, rather than NASA, to taxi American astronauts into low Earth orbit.

A significant change in national space policy, the move is aimed at reducing the amount of time that the U.S. is solely reliant on Russia to ferry U.S. astronauts to and from the $75 billion International Space Station -- an outpost in which the American taxpayers have invested about $55 billion. Once NASA's shuttle fleet is retired at the end of the year, the U.S. will rely on Russia to launch American astronauts to the outpost until another domestic means can be developed.

NASA for the past 50 years has been responsible for designing, developing and operating the rockets and spacecraft flown by U.S. astronauts. But a presidential panel last October delivered a report that suggested NASA should get out of the business of ferrying astronauts to and from low Earth orbit and instead rely on U.S. commercial companies to do that job.

Administration officials told Florida Today last week that NASA's budget would be increased by $6 billion over the next five years, and we predict that at least $2.5 billion of that money will be directed to developing commercial crew transportation services.

The White House will hold a news conference at 10 a.m. Tuesday to introduce "new commercial space pioneers, launching a game-changing way of developing technology to send humans into space," according to a NASA news advisory issued late Sunday.

You can watch the announcement live here in The Flame Trench. Simply click the NASA TV box on the right side of the page to launch our NASA TV viewer and live coverage of the 10 a.m. Tuesday event at the National Press Club.

Meanwhile, a NASA TV news conference at 3 p.m. today with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden has been cancelled.

Instead, Bolden will hold a media teleconference at 12:30 p.m. . The number of media who can take part is being limited.

We'll do our best to keep you updated.



22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hmmm .. Interesting.. I guess it is obvious this president is a dreamer. Exactly where can he point to this being a guaranteed solution. He's totally dreaming up all the figures on everything. How can it save money when there will be no incentive for commercial business to profit off anything related to the research that doesn't provide them return. How can this even promote innovation when the commercial interest are just in it for profit. They'll try and own all the patents, they'll suck the life out of anything related to innovation and put a royalty on it. The government will end up paying more.. How exactly will this help everyone but the select few who will be profiting off the patents and other royalties that are sold, stolen and scammed from the American taxpayer. Honestly, there is too many variables involved for this President just to quickly jump to a commercial provider. How exactly will any of it be guaranteed? Where will the oversight be? He talks about transparency.. Exactly, how will the safety be transparent? How will many things be transparent? I honestly think this president rates next to George Bush: incompetent. I guess moving to profit motive will instill safety? How about all the years of research, funding, all the time the government has put into building all the discoveries and research. What just throw it to the lowest bidder and then let them own it.. When exactly do the AMERICAN PEOPLE (the individual) profit of this venture? Where exactly do our tax dollars go? Why do we keep creating these so-called "commercial" ventures when in fact they will become CORPORATE WELFARE schemes.. I am confused the money still will be coming from the government will it not? We are just creating another WELFARE program for a public corporation to benefit off of. Then after years of living off the government the company will wean itself and become a provider to other countries using all the innovations that NASA created for this country. Why is there this desire to move everything to corporations when there have been so many failures lately in the corporate world.. They are FLEECING us (THE PEOPLE).. It is time to tell them "NO"!! They can't have something so many "AMERICAN's" here on the space coast worked so hard to build. To many lives, to many careers, and too much time has been put into this space project called NASA.. It's time to just leave it alone and keep funding it. This is science people.. This is not a profit venture.. This is about humanity exploring the unknown and about us as human's looking for more answers that we don't know.. As we all know, that is not always profitable... It is about us as humans searching for the answer and mysteries to this universe.. No company cares about that.. We all know.. from basic economics.. PROFIT MOTIVE.. that is all that counts for all companies.. We need our space program outside the "commercial" sector.. This has no business in their hands!! The companies will fleece it and we will lose in the long run...

Patrick said...

Meanwhile, the pantywaists at NASA CANCELLED a scheduled press conference today where the Budget was to be discussed by Bolden & Garver and have opted for a "NON-FACE-TO-FACE" restricted participation "phone call".

Whoosies!

The "Blowback" on Obamas plans for NASA will be massive from Congress and I think its a fight Obama does NOT want to invest any capital in so he may just roll over. Still, I am TOTALLY disappointed in what he and his Weasel Minions are trying to pull off.

What really FROSTS my shorts is them using OUR tax dollars to fund private companies space efforts!

WTF!?!?!

I mean COTS is somewhat worthwhile but to redirect $6 BILLION to Space-X and its ilk at the expense of all the NASA workers involved with Constellation around the country is nothing short of treason, imo.

As they say, it ain't over 'til the Fat Lady sings, and the Fat Lady called Congress has NOT had their say in the matter yet.

Patrick said...

BTW..tyhat pic you have in the article?

Shouldn't you have a cartoon ballon comment there?

Something like..."I have a dream...and its the end of NASA."

Anonymous said...

Don't be fooled... Florida Today is 100-percent for gutting manned space flight.

Why you ask? The connection is simple.

Florida Today endorsed Obama's presidency. Obama is for killing the space program. Therfore, Florida Today is for killing the space program.

Thanks for your continued endorsement of Barack Obama. Many of us told you sheep again and again that this was what Obama was going to do.

And you still believe him today. You tell me who the stupid people are -- those who told you this was going to happen or those of you who still support this traitor of a president?

Anonymous said...

That's it, Brevard's economy is officially in the toilet, it'll be flushed when the last shuttle flies.

Anonymous said...

Obama should have the Federal government take over Sir Richard Branson's private space operation and move it to Brevard County.

Anonymous said...

Government spending is only bad when its somebody else's pet project. When it hits our own trough, we squeal like the world is coming to an end. Buck up Brevard, this thing has been coming for years, surely we had backup plans.

Patrick said...

It's about time a public-private partnership became the future of space travel. NASA's monopoly served its purpose. But it's time that they worked in conjunction with pioneers like Richard Brandon, instead of in competition with them.

PatrickInNC said...

It's about time a public-private partnership became the future of space travel. NASA's monopoly served its purpose. Now it's time to work in conjunction with, instead of in competition with, Richard Branson and the other pioneers who have passed NASA on the "wow factor" scale. Now to do something about that Postal Service monopoly ... :-)

Anonymous said...

Hey everyone, Obama had a egg and cheese omelet for breakfast today. Now all of you president haters can attack the incredible, edible egg! I'm never sure exactly which of your two faces I am supposed to be looking at when I address you hypocrites. So let me see if I’ve got this right: stop government spending on programs and let the commercial market place take care of it. Uh, oh, seems as though that’s what the commission determined would be best for the space program and now appears to be part of the future plans. ABOUT-FACE! Now you want all that government money and think it’s bad to put into the private marketplace. I can only imagine the faces that go with all of this double-speak today. Must look frighteningly similar to those being worn by those GOPers who got smacked down by the president at their own invitation. As is usually the case, when reality gets applied to the situation, the hypocrisy glows like a meteor streaking across the sky. We’re not ALL that gullible!

Anonymous said...

Patrick, would you like tar or honey with those feathers?

Anonymous said...

Patrick, not EVERYONE in Brevard County believes you should be "tarred and feathered" because you dare express a contrary opinion. Please don’t paint all of us as the ignorant, goose-stepping lemmings that it might appear. Trust me, we battle that ignorance on a daily basis. The fight continues!

Anonymous said...

And so we see the end of NASA as we know it. Obama has basicly killed United States manned exploration of space, oh we will still have astronauts but now we will be hitch hikeing to space with the Russians to a space station that WE built. And of course we will be paying them for the privilage, (gee don't think that they are gonna charge us more do you?)
Being nearly 53 now I count myself as one of the lucky ones who was old eneough to rember Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and the shuttle of course. I was 12 when we landed on the moon I certinly expected to be around to see us go back and maybe even get to Mars, now I'm not so sure.

This decison puts more people out of work at the Nasa contractors, NASA itself and of course all the surronding busnisess from grocery stores to cars you name it. It's not going to be pretty for the economy.

Rest in Peace NASA lookis like you have been all but buried at this point unless congress steps up for you.

Anonymous said...

This is very bad decision! There is no place in 3800 bln budget for 2-3 bln a year increase in NASA budget?! Make no mistake, the fallout will be very long. This will slow down any serios plans for manned space program at least a decade.

And the private space is just an excuse to kill the manned space program. The private industry has only 2 successful lanuches of satellites and it will take at lest 7-8 year to be able just to launch people in low Earth orbit. When China land on the Moon, we will see if the meager 0.1% of the budget was such a big deal.

Obama will be remembered as the Nixon or Carter of our generation. Its such an insult to the science and technlogy folks that voted for him. He just hates the science and engeneering, he only cares about banks, unions and community organizers.

Anonymous said...

Commercial Companies. I hate to disillusion you but what do you think United Space Alliance happens to be. The shuttle is a National Treasure, but United Space Alliance is a private company with tie to Boeing and Lockheed!!!! They manage and maintain the vehicle, while other companies supply engineering to support, which USA integrates, USA just fly’s it for NASA. The Vehicle is already costed for the future so fly 2 flight per year to maintain our abilities in space and develop the next generation vehicle. It has to be one hell of a lot cheaper the Russian involvement and safer than a Russian vehicle.

The shuttle and most of its hardware was designed for the future and has the engineering capacity to flight as safe as any space product past or future vehicle. We are being feed crazy data from people that just want to spend the taxpayer’s money. Mr. Obama has no clue and continues to be clueless for what this nation needs for space … I can see us loosing our competitive edge in space and going backwards to the horse and buggy days. Paying Russia millions $ to launch our astronauts to a Space Station that the USA has developed is an insult to the American public and Taxpayer. I guess it is obvious this president is a dreamer. Exactly where can he point to this being a guaranteed solution? He's totally dreaming up all the figures on everything. What happens we pay the bills to get socialism in the Obama country plan? This is a man that will not say Pledge Allegiance at solemn ceremonies … So now we follow backwards to pre- space program. Give me a break.

Anonymous said...

Yes, the Democrats are the party that hates science. You radical Repubs spinning out of control are hysterical. Not that truth ever matters to you, but talking out of the sides of your mouths is a very unique talent. The reason the Republican Party has ZERO credibility is because you constantly shift your ideology to fit your personal projectof the day. You can't have uit both ways. Well, except maybe on Fox Noise. But as my grandmother liked to remind me as a child, that's just television. What a bunch of hypocritical little whining children. Grow up and grow some.

Anonymous said...

Does anybody realize NASA has never built a Spacecraft. They have been a very expensive middle man between the Taxpayers and the you guessed it the Private contractors that acuually develop and build the Spacecraft

Anonymous said...

the Russian involvement and safer than a Russian vehicle.

The shuttle and most of its hardware was designed for the future and has the engineering capacity to flight as safe as any space product past or future vehicle

How many times have the Russians flown without lose of life?
If we went to war with the Russians tomorrow Space Flight will give them an advantage?How? Private the way to go. How come Brevard did not become a ghost town when 20,000 lost their jobs over the past couple of years. You 7000 were all out helping them find tax dollar jobs? Maybe the union will help you?

Anonymous said...

our competitive edge in space and going backwards to the horse and buggy days.
The shuttle was design a year or two after the buggy!! Competitive edge? You need to have a competition? We win the battle of old technology!!

Anonymous said...

The truth is, we all lost. We dominated stars with the Space Shuttle and no other country can do it like we can. We are the best at what we do. I am sorry to see Space Shuttle Retire. The lost of jobs will impact Florida and the rest of community. The ripple effect will be felt in the short distance and the long distance. The jobs that Shuttle provided will be hard to replace.

Anonymous said...

very nice................

Anonymous said...

How can we call it a private commercial business when the government is paying for it?
Did EVERYONE forget the most important reason for replacing the shuttle? Safety. The shuttle was an incredibly complex and dangerous craft. The replacement design addressed most of those concerns by using proven technology that is known to be reliable and simpler in design. Now the president wants to redirect that money to new commercial concept designs that have yet to be proven space worthy with no inherent track record and consequently once again put astronauts lives at risk. I think this is a very irresponsible decision made by this administration and lives will likely be lost as a result. It's a sad day for US manned space exploration just as other nations are gearing up for ambitious manned space programs of their own.