Sen. Hutchison Proposes Backward Step for Future of Space Travel
Kay Bailey Hutchison Would Spend Billions More for Shuttles
Senator Hutchison Wants Federal Jobs in Her District
From Senator Hutchison's perspective, a lack of manned spaceflight missions for a period of years after the shuttle's scheduled retirement means a loss of jobs at NASA's Johnson Space Center. In other words, Houston, you have a jobs problem. The traditional government solution is to keep the facility open and keep paying for those people to work whether or not it is in the best interest of the country as a whole or the space program itself. Extending the shuttle program, while sure to please many of those who believe in the space program, is not a decision founded on the same boldness that fathered our nation's space program. It is a regressive step that diverts money and effort away from the long term goals in favor of pandering to the short term at the expense of the future.
The Future of Space Flight
President Obama has stated that NASA's next step in space flight delivery vehicles, those designed for delivering payload and people to the International Space Station, should be the use of commercial space vehicles. Think about what that means for space flight. It means that companies that are currently seeking to develop orbital delivery vehicles will receive a huge boost. They will compete to deliver the most reliable, most cost-effective space ships they can in order to win a government contract. As a result, these vehicles, or others like them will be available for other uses as well. Space tourism will be commonplace, though still very expensive within 15 years, perhaps less.
Damn the Polls, Full Speed Ahead
There was a time when space travel was such a huge challenge that only the resources of the national government could handle the task, but that time was in the past. Today, private companies can develop space delivery vehicles and some are already doing so. The future is in the privatization of space travel. President Obama is making a very bold and courageous stance. His directive is almost guaranteed to be unpopular on all fronts. Conservatives will lament the loss of government jobs in their states even as they demand smaller government. Democrats in favor of a strong space program will rail against the interim cessation of manned space flight missions. Bold actions are those that are taken by people doing the right thing, despite any political toll it may take on them personally.
Transferring Government Jobs to the Private Sector
Instead of catering to the polls and currying short term political favor, President Obama is setting the United States of America's space program on the road to a brighter future, a future more like the one we all dreamed about when we were kids reading science fiction novels. Furthermore, it is a step in favor of smaller government. While there is short term pain in the loss of government jobs for those currently supporting the space shuttle program, the president's directive helps create a new industry that one day will employ far more people than the space shuttle program ever did. It is in effect transitioning government jobs with salaries paid by taxpayers into private sector jobs; jobs for which those with bona fide NASA experience will be uniquely qualified.
Get on Board and Strap Yourself In
With this move, we take another giant leap for mankind. If we divert our energy away from this program and back to the space shuttles, we'll be taking a step backward. The way to open up space and space travel is to privatize it. President Obama has given us a very clear and forward-thinking strategy for the future of America's space program, it's time for Americans to get on board and strap themselves in for the ride of a lifetime.
Sources:
Posey, Bill, and Kosmas, Suzanne. Shuttle Flights Would Continue Under New Proposal. March 3, 2010 Orlando Sentinel online. Retrieved from http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2010/03/shuttle-flights-would-continue-under-new-proposal.html on March 9, 2010.
NASA Budget Press Conference. February 1, 2010. NASA. Retrieved from http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/396117main_HSF_Cmte_FinalReport.pdf on March 9, 2010.
Published by Brad Sylvester
Professional writer specializing in space news and all topics related to outer space. View profile
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3 Comments
Post a CommentBrad - another good effort but short on facts. I am trying to be respectful and polite here.
OK, many people would dismiss me since I have worked on Space Shuttle, Space Station, NASA/Mir, etc since 1985. I realize both the good and bad facets of our current space program.
You claim that Sen Hutchison wants to save jobs for her district - you mean State. Representatives have districts. But many Senators support the Shuttle program - even those with few space jobs in their states.
You claim that commercial firms can build less expensive space vehicles - but the Shuttle was built by Rockwell. The difference between Shuttle and Dragon or CST-100 or whatever is that the capsules are FAR LESS capable. You cannot do an EVA out of them, they do not have a robot arm, etc. NASA is on track to build the MPCV/Orion and that will compete with Dragon, etc - it will be safer, cheaper, and also less capable.
The Shuttle has both good and bad features but retiring it is a huge mistake. We are s
The point is that if we divert resources and effort toward keeping an old system alive a little longer, it means lessening our focus on bringing new more capable systems online. Orbital lift vehicles developed by private industry competing for contracts is the most efficient and effective way to ensure that America is the leader in space. It will mean not only that America has several solutions to the problem, but that American companies will hire thousands of workers to build and support these systems. America is at the stage in its history where the technology needed for orbital lift vehicles need no longer be limited to governments. Let private companies build spaceships and they will find uses for them: space tourism, contracting to governments, and a dozen other profitable ventures we can't even foresee. Diverting energy to old, limited programs slows and diverts our focus while other nations catch up. Focus on the long march ahead and not ground we've already covered.
Knowing that man in my lifetime has had access to space travel,and knowing that it could be shut down seems not an option to the survival of our species as a whole.Man has always been bent on destroying each other since records have been kept.Knowing of our nuclear age.It would only seem smart to have someone somewhere else with the ability to return when all is clear,That would insure the survival of mankind.Even though we live in the greatest country in the world and the most powerful history always repeats itself and god forbid according to history even our country will fail and there goes the security of the world.It is very much a privelidge to live in our great country being poor isnt always bad try living in a third world country.I just hope our leaders have all the bases covered for mankind.I think we should persue space exploration it is the future of mankind and wheather our great nation does it or not some nation will and where does that leave us even in the matter of nation