More Commentary on Constellation Closeout

"this administration's blatant arrogance and its ignorance of the importance of manned space flight"

The liberal elite are at it again!

"The president's proposal includes a very different vision for NASA's future and begs the question: Will we continue to have a government-led space program?"

Perhaps a more interesting question would be: Does a nation's space program need to be government led?

"First, an enormous amount has already been spent; $10 billion over the past five years. Most, if not all, of that will be wasted with the program's cancellation."

The money was already nearly all wasted. And pouring good money after bad is always a poor choice.

I hope someone is taking the names of all of those who would justify continuance of Constellation based on its track record or its impact on employment. These names should be high on the list of people who can never ever be trusted with strategic decisions of any kind.

IMO a government space program should limit its exclusive activities to defense and move to cooperation with commercial interests for civilian projects like research and exploration.

The answer is yes-and no. Yes, if related to advanced research that industry and academia can't do, and no in terms of logistical support for such things as ISS access and launch operations and services. Either way, a whole new NASA will emerge, one closer to its NACA roots than the years of Shuttle and station ops that ate up the agency's budget-you know, the same budget that neither Dems nor GOP could increase?

"Does a nation's space program need to be government led"? I have struggled with this question as I am no fan of government programs. On the one hand there are only to government agencies which have ever done anything historically significant and releveant. First, the U.S. Military and second is NASA. The rest are pretty much useless and a complete waste of money. Nevertheless I have landed on the side of a government led space program. I agree that commercial development is a positive but I do not see a return on investment for major scientific or exploratory missions on the commercial end. For LEO there is a tourist component but the average Joe could never afford it. Shuttling astronauts to the Space Station would also be productive but that only lasts as long as there is a station. So another question is "what realistic return on investment" based on "mission criteria" is there for commercial?

What are my choices.
a) I can support constellation that has already cost me (as a taxpayer) 10B and employs 10000 people (according to layoff estimates) but produces nothing and will probably need another 10B before it does.
b) I can support a commercial company, such as SpaceX that with a 1000 employees that already has demonstrated it can launch to LEO.

I think I will go with option 'b' so that NASA can spend the difference on something new instead of reinventing the wheel.

Boldly going nowhere: Nasa ends plan to put man back on Moon

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/science/space/article7149543.ece

"Distinguished space veterans, including the first and last men to walk on the Moon, Neil Armstrong and Gene Cernan, have complained that the abandonment of Constellation will set America’s space capabilities on a “downhill slide to mediocrity”. They say that, while Mr Obama has outlined a vision for Nasa that includes sending people to Mars at some point, it lacks a concise plan for developing the rockets and spacecraft to get them there.

“The Administration has no planning, no programme and no idea — they’d just have these things happen mysteriously,” Mr Bishop said. “Rockets aren’t something that Wal-Mart puts on its shelves. You have to have a plan for how you get from A to B, and Obama has just said we’ll work it as we go along and maybe some day we’ll end up on an asteroid or the Moon or somewhere. The bottom line is, those ‘maybes’ will never happen.”

ObamaSpace is a fatal plan.

This administration is a pox upon exploration.

Never have a dreamed a POTUS would be so openly hostile to NASA HSF.

I will never forget, and NEVER forgive.

Gee, articles from Houston, Huntsville, Florida, Salt Lake City, etc.

Luckily this is not about jobs but what is the best long term strategy for exploration of space and advancement of science and technology.

It is all about jobs and the status quo and any change in it threatening profits and jobs for a particular region.

Fine, I guess it is best just to continue with the current dead end program and LEO money pit instead of trying to really make advances in exploration.

Lots of hot air.

After watching this political farce for several months I have unfortunately come to the conclusion that NASA needs to be shut down. There are many fine and dedicated co-workers of mine but the inevitable bureaucracy, political correctness, and constant political meddling that is inevitable in any US government run organization has finally killed NASA. Not just HSF needs to be handed over to private enterprise but all NASA operational spaceflight, including the missions run out of JPL and Goddard. Like Frank stated NASA should be returned to its NACA roots. JSC, JPL, KSC, and Goddard should be shutdown or sold to private companies. NASA would shrink to a few R&D centers (Langley, AMES, etc) where basic R&D on spaceflight and aerodynamics is done in laboratories to mature technology and then hand it over to private industry. Deep space science missions should be funded by NSF and private benefactors and the Principal Investigators should contract directly and commercially with private companies to build and operate the vehicles for them. Same for manned space flight. If some institution needs to have a human in space for their research, they go buy that from private companies. Might allow NASA a few X vehicles in space if needed but those should be bought from and operated by private companies for NASA. Space is too important to be left to incompetent politicians and their corrupt minions. Time for them to get out of the way.

Sadly, I'm with you ex. When you add in the corruption, both legal and ethical, it pushed me over the line a while ago. I really don't have much to say about it anymore.