A Narrow View of NASA's Broader Vision

I don't think Livio's article reads as if he were intentionally omitting manned space exploration (as a slight). I think he was merely pointing out a side of NASA that doesn't seem to get the attention that manned space exploration does, especially in the current, heated political climate.

Let's face it: we're not reading about congressmen/women arguing for better funding for both manned exploration and space science. In the minds of politicos and many in the public NASA means only one thing: manned space exploration.

Both manned exploration and space science are necessary. For the most part one can't accomplish what the other can. I think it would be a big mistake to raid one's budget to fund the other's.

Science is fundamental to discovery in fact this why NACA was formed and the theory still is valid on earth.

My idea for a bumper sticker is:
dented upperstage = new rocket design

So he and others like him believe that non-human science exploration is a worthy vision all by itself.

He's joined by every other specialist and enthusiast who misses the big picture. Nobody can look up and down at the same time. Both types need to yield to the other when out of their league. Unfortunately NASA has a well documented and dangerous deficiency in this area..

NASA's far-reaching ambitions in space science have been, and will continue to be, truly inspiring"

My idea for a bumper sticker is:
Propellent Calculation wrong = Dented Upper Stage

Eh, he's an astrophysicist working in astronomy. Of course his bias is toward more and more sensors. His stance represents an old rivalry between manned and robotic space proponents. The truth is we need both.

I think this just proves that NASA is dysfunctional and needs to be split up. Give earth observation to NOAA, deep space robotic to NSF, reconstitute NACA for aerodynamics research, NASA becomes HSF (R&D only of actual ops depending on your point of view). Then they can go advocate for their own funding without having to stab each other in the back.

what's really worrying here is that: if there is one good thing about this new policy, it is flexible enough to include all options. That includes manned Spaceflight: initially LEO but thereafter - if certain decisions are made SOON ENOUGH - BEO flights as well.
Let's face it, Boeing's new private spacecraft is Orion "lite"- and it needs to be! Atlas, DELTA IV, Falcon 9(if it succeeds), Taurus II (upgraded with an upper-stage AJ26 instead of a solid motor) all provide the means for lofting an LEO launch base/propellant depot, all of which could be done within the current budget...IF WE SO WISH.

But if all we're going to do is whine because the "disaster in space"(on earth!) that was ARES has rightly been dumped, now there are no alternatives then that's what we'll get, if the decision makers also adopt that attitude.

Probably what they have in the back of their minds. We need to encourage them otherwise. Bolden and especially Garver -the political appointee gone with Obama BTW- need to be deluged by the SNC(the Space Nut Community-US!). It initiated Augustine so why not! Start sorting those form letters they love sending us!

"NASA is dysfunctional and needs to be split up. ... Then they can go advocate for their own funding without having to stab each other in the back."

That makes a certain amount of sense; it would depend on if there is enough commonality across those boundaries to make sense to keep them together, i.e. to outweigh the benefits of getting rid of the cat-fights. There is some synergy, especially in the basic research stuff (e.g. I know a structures person who is doing internal 'consulting' on both aero and space projects).

NASA is at conflict with itself in so many ways: across Center lines (competing for funding/recognition), similarly, across state lines (jobs/votes as defended by local Congressional and Senate supporters), and between directorates. The centers tend to have a primary directorate association, but many have their hands in many pots. Then there's the synergy aspect of things. There are a lot of technologies that apply very well to both robotic and human spaceflight, as well as for aeronautics. I think we're better off as one dysfunctional family...

"I think we're better off as one dysfunctional family... "

Could be.... That's one of the things that most pissed me off about the Constellation cancellation: after some years of initial turbulence, a lot of productive, strong working relationships had been developed (both center-center, as well as across other boundaries) and there was a real sense of energy and excitement that things were going somewhere, which bound people together across those boundaries. Now it's all going to go back to individual, feuding feifdoms again....

Indeed. but to make it work we need a Coordinator come Uniter that makes one group see the validity of the efforts of the other group. I see neither Bolden or Garver as capable in that sphere. Garver in particular, seems to sow internal dissension by a dictatorial attitude disguised as sweet reasonableness.
Because of the tendency to neglect the Scientific side in comparison with the Manned Space side: which consistently took the lion's share of funding, the Science people denigrated manned space consistently. this, despite the fact that at no stage did Science take priority in any Space endeavor...anywhere. Even so,how quickly the Science people forgot that their giant Voyager spacecraft had to be substantially re-designed because the equally giant man-rated booster intended to launch them,got scrapped. They did it anyway! Can one say the achievments were any the less because of that? Au Contraire IMO! So it shall be if NLS'92/DIRECT/"Evolved STS" is brought to hardware status with a minimum of delay. that should please the likes of Caroline Porco, but I doubt if the "important" people are listening...

As soon as we learn the art of converting ourselves into pure light/energy and converting back again perfectly. Otherwise we'll be needing ALL the energy in the universe...and a whole lot more out to infinity! Even then it won't be fast enough!