White House Press Briefing on Space Policy Announced at Last Minute

Ask them if the Constellation and Shuttle work force and their suppliers contribution to this economy be missed?

Follow up with, Now that manned space is going be so much better under a the "Commercial" doctorine can the tax payers get a stimulus check in the amount of 50 dollars? That is what I understnd is the amount of the average taxpayers obligation to fund NASA.

Cheaper, faster, better, was proved not the way to go in manned spaced. How is "commercial" manned space going to improve on this concept?

Hey, how about this:

From now on, for every 4 Earth observing spacecraft, the NSA will build an astronomy instrument of comparable dimensions and complexity.

just sayin'

Who wrote this piece of work....lets change the whole world and then in four years we see what a mess this has become....Lets invite all nations, even the ones that have not contributed a dime.
Obama is a panacea for all the world issues....lets invite all to help, money or no money....kinda like space socialism. This is going to take a long time to dig out from. Lets get started now and get a jump before he changes something else that will cost us. Congress...now is the is the time to push back and push as hard as you can....this guy is going to take NASA down along with everything else he's got his fingers in. Amen America !

Like the idea of putting America's space future in the hands of Elon Musk? Don't like it? Want to ask Musk a question in the pages of Time magazine? Go here: http://10questions.time.com/2010/06/25/ask-elon-musk/

Nice… NOT! The Moon and Mars are mentioned exactly once each in this document (i.e., in the same sentence). One will be bypassesed and one will be orbited. A grand gesture in flag planting; I mean flag orbiting. And there is an awful lot of talk about humankind and humanity in the flowery introductions, but little or no guidance on when, where or even why humans are to go into space; and an asteroid should not really count. Again, there is no long term understanding of the usefulness and need for permanent human space exploration and colonization. Always scouting, always a bridesmaid!!! And just how will this policy motivate youth when it probably won’t even motivate the existing space community.

Just 2 cents worth...

I knew it would be bad; but truly, I had no idea it could be this bad. How is all that hope and change working out for NASA?

It really is no surprise though when you think about what a terrible job the NASA PAO does, why should we expect anything different from the white house?

VR
RE327

Good heavens. Could it possibly be more vague?

Okay, I am confused. Does this mean we are leading, following, getting out of the way or all of the above in space as a nation?

Sorry, I am not trying to bash anything, it is just clear direction and clearly defined goals are how I have known things to get done. It is like going to graduate school without a major. Learning for learning's sake... I would love to know everything, but I cannot do that in just one life time.

Some excellent words in the new NSP. You really get a taste about moving spaceflight from the government domain to the domain of industry and academia. Finally getting the US economic sphere out into the solar system, and not just the political sphere.

Well it read well to me.
as you know:
National Security Presidential Directives (NSPD) -- G.W. Bush (2001-present)

There are no NSPD's specifically pertaining to NASA's civil aeronautics or space mission as of last update of this site.

Then back when:
THE WHITE HOUSE
Washington

April 11, 1962

NATIONAL SECURITY ACTION MEMORANDUM NO. 144

TO: The Vice President (as Chairman, National Aeronautics and Space Council)
The Secretary of Defense
The Secretary of Commerce
Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Agency
Director, Bureau of the Budget
Director, Office of Emergency Planning

SUBJECT: Assignment of Highest National Priority to the APOLLO Manned Lunar Landing Program

In response to a recommendation by the National Aeronautics and Space Council, which approved a proposal by the Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Agency, the President under the authority granted by the Defense Production Act of 1950 today established the program listed below as being in the highest national priority category for research and development and for achieving operational capability:

APOLLO (manned lunar landing program, including essential spacecraft, launch vehicles, and facilities).

McGeorge Bundy

Information Copy to:
General Maxwell Taylor

CxP was not a given Assignment of Highest National Priority. So all you CxP cheerleaders
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/codez/new/policy/pw_exec_branch.html
keep crying Rah Rah Rah! I want to go to 1962 and make a rocket and own a corvette.

> Follow up with, Now that manned space is going be so much better under a the "Commercial" doctorine can the tax payers get a stimulus check in the amount of 50 dollars?

http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/national_space_policy_6-28-10.pdf

> The term “commercial,” for the purposes of this policy, refers to space goods, services, or activities provided by private sector enterprises that bear a reasonable portion of the investment risk and responsibility for the activity, operate in accordance with typical market-based incentives for controlling cost and optimizing return on investment, and have the legal capacity to offer these goods or services to existing or potential nongovernmental customers .

This should have been written 40 years ago. Time for space to stop being a spectator sport for space cadets. Space should not be like an action adventure movie where the story lines goes from explosion and heroic and back to explosion. I mean really folks, this is the United States of America why is it that you want a command economy for space? You criticize this because it's vague? Well our economy is vague, our society is vague. The NorK's have a nice directed heroic society. And they just developed fusion power. :)

I read the policy.

"in accordance with typical market-based incentives for controlling cost and optimizing return on investment,"
This still sounds like cost plus a guaranted profit no matter what.

"There's nothing in the street
Looks any different to me
And the slogans are replaced, by-the-bye
And the parting on the left
Is now the parting on the right"

Meet the new boss same as the old boss