NASA to 'Reach Out' to Muslim Countries

A recent story in the Orlando Sentinel suggests that the Obama administration intends NASA to become as much a tool of international diplomacy as it is an agency that furthers science, commerce, and the national security needs of the US.

Specifically NASA is supposed to start an outreach to the Muslim world.

"Specifically, he talked about connecting with countries that do not have an established space program and helping them conduct science missions. He mentioned new opportunities with Indonesia, including an educational program that examines global climate change."

While a number of Muslim countries have space agencies, and even home built satellites, primarily communication and weather sats, only one Muslim country claims to have its own capability to launch things into low Earth orbit. That country is the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran's space program is thought by most analysts to be designed to develop ballistic missiles capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction against targets in the Middle East, Israel and Saudi Arabia, Europe and North America. It is unlikely that the Obama administration is seriously contemplating an alliance with the Muslim world's primary space power, such as it is.

International cooperation in space is not new. The International Space Station has Russia, the European Union, Japan, and Canada among its partners. American instruments have flown on foreign space probes such as the Indian Chandrayaan-1 and visa versa. International astronauts have flown on numerous space shuttle missions. It was contemplated even during the Bush administration that astronauts from other countries would fly on planned flights back to the Moon and to other destinations.

But each of these arrangements was with countries with the technical acumen and the economic strength to contribute something to the effort. The soft power, diplomatic effects have certainly been a consideration in previous joint space projects. But in most cases, NASA has been the primary partner, the leader, taking on only international partners that had something to contribute.

The Obama administration approach to international space partners appears to be a change from previous practice. Not only will partners be chosen, not for their ability to contribute, but as kind of beneficiaries of space largess, but NASA will no longer be the clear leader.

Current NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver is quoted as saying that the next manned mission to the Moon would have NASA merely "--be part of an international exploration effort." That is not to say, a NASA effort with international partners.

Of course, considering the Obama administration's abandonment of the back to the Moon goal, when such a mission would ever take place is unclear. Perhaps the Obama administration would consider negotiating with the Chinese for a slot on their eventual Moon mission for a single American astronaut.

This kind of approach fits neatly in the Obama administration's view of America's role in the world. No longer will the United States be considered as the sole super power, a unique, exceptional nation that all others should look up to. The United States will be just another country, no different, no better, and perhaps no worse than France or India.

Space exploration, especially the Moon landings, has been the purest expression of American exceptionalism. Under President Obama, that will no longer be the case.

Source: NASA plans more outreach to Muslim countries, Orlando Sentinel, February 16th, 2010