WTF!? Obama and Bolden are stretching it on this one.
NASA Chief: Next Frontier Better Relations With Muslim World
A Defense Against the New [corporate] NASA
An investigation of funding for America's manned space program.
-
2010-07-05
-
2010-04-16
(via yougottalivetoparty)
Source: modernlovefare
-
→
Obama sets Mars goal for America
President Obama’s speech at Kennedy Space yesterday was a small victory for NASA and America in general, but he did not deter from his previous outline for the US space agency. NASA will receive an extra $6 billion over the next five years. This will be used to fund the continuation of the Constellation’s Orion crew capsule program, which is now slated to merely be a lifeboat for the ISS.
Obama’s long term vision for NASA remains focused on deep space research and travel, stating,
By the mid-2030s, I believe we can send humans to orbit Mars and return them safely to Earth. And a landing on Mars will follow. And I expect to be around to see it.
This statement lacks clear definition. Obama’s addition of the words “I believe” make this statement indecisive. In contrast Kennedy stated in 1961,
We choose to go to the moon in this decade…because that challenge is…one we are unwilling to postpone.
Kennedy was direct in his order. In 1961, it wasn’t something that he “believed” could be done, going to the moon was something that will be accomplished.
The flag of the United States will be planted in the red soil of Mars one day, but until we truly commit to the idea, we’ll remain grounded.
-
2010-04-15
We will go back to the moon, notwithstanding our president and his outlook for the future of space. Under the president’s proposed budget, it is a mission to nowhere.
— Gene Cernan at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. The man who in 1972 was the last to walk on the lunar surface.
-
2010-03-14
Obama Nasa plans 'catastrophic' say Moon astronauts
Former Nasa astronauts who went to the Moon have told the BBC of their dismay at President Barack Obama’s decision to push back further Moon missions.
-
2010-03-11
Astronaut families press NASA's case with administration
A blog from The Washington Post.
-
2010-03-09
It’s bad for the country. This administration really does not believe in American exceptionalism.
— Harrison Schmitt, Apollo astronaut and former US Senator, speaking about the Constellation program cancellation.
-
→
It’s incredibly difficult to build a rocket that goes to orbit.
— Elon Musk, founder and chief executive of SpaceX, a start-up rocket firm that would be in the running for one of the new NASA commercial contracts.
-
2010-03-08
The closer we get to Shuttle retirement, the more Russia increases the price per astronaut for a ride into space. Take the current price, $51 million per astronaut, up from $30 million, and multiply that by 5 or 6 astronauts per mission. Last month the Russians said they plan to raise prices again once they are the sole provider of astronaut services to the Space Station.
— Rep. Bill Posley (R-Florida)
-
→
I cannot understand how the administration can propose such an ill-conceived decision to cancel the Constellation program without providing a compelling alternative plan with measurable goals and adequate resources
— Rep. Ralph Hall (R-Texas)
-
2010-03-06
China’s Space Station First Module “Heavenly Palace” Due to Launch in 2011
China will soon have an outpost in space. The government has announced that its first unmanned space module, the Tiangong-1 (or “The Heavenly Palace”), will be launched next year. The module will serve as a docking station for other aircraft before being transformed into a permanent taikonaut residence and space lab within two years of the launch.
The Tiangong-1 is expected to be 30 feet long and capable of housing three taikonauts; future missions will add other modules to construct a larger Chinese space station. It includes a large module with docking system making up the forward half of the vehicle and a service module section with solar arrays and propellant tanks making up the aft.
The Tiangong-1 is expected to dock the unmanned Shenzhou 8 spacecraft first to test the robotic docking systems before hosting the manned Shenzhou 9 and 10 spacecraft, which are both expected to carry two or three taikonauts into space.
Source: Discover MagazineSource: unknownskywalker
-
2010-03-05
China to launch an unmanned space module in 2011
The bottom line is that China is constructing a space station and this is the first step. As an American, I have a strange relationship with China. China is like our smarter younger sibling and even though they’re making us look bad we’re still happy for them.
Source: fuckyeahspace
-
→
Source: galaxywire.net
-
2010-03-04
-
→
I appreciate that the administrator is at least reconsidering the president’s current proposal. Turning back the entire (cancellation) proposal is the best option and the one I think Congress will and should still pursue.
— Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah)
