William Atkins
Saturday, 15 August 2009 20:06
Science -
Space
Page 1 of 3
That is basically the conclusion of an official and independent U.S. government review of NASA’s budget and the future of any new manned space programs for the U.S. space agency. Simply: the United States can’t make it to the Moon or Mars under the current timetable with the money currently budgeted to NASA. If you want the Moon and Mars: then give NASA more money!
The preliminary report of the
Human Space Flight Plans committee, an advisory panel, was presented to the White House on Friday, August 14, 2009.
The final report is due to be published on August 31, 2009.
According to the committee’s Web site:
“At the request of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, NASA has established the Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee.”
And,
“The Committee will conduct an independent review of ongoing U.S. human space flight plans and programs, as well as alternatives, to ensure the nation is pursuing the best trajectory for the future of human space flight - one that is safe, innovative, affordable, and sustainable.”
The ten-member committee was appointed by President Barack Obama and is headed by Norman Augustine, a retired aerospace executive. [edited 8/17/09]
However, the major conclusions of the preliminary report include these statements:
1. The plan by the United States to send astronauts to the Moon by the year 2020 is not possible without a larger annual budget to NASA.
2. Alternatively, the plan by the United States to send astronauts to the Moon by the year 2020 is possible only if the money dedicated to International Space Station is removed; that is, the ISS is eliminated in 2016 by de-orbiting it and sending it to its destruction through Earth’s atmosphere.
Page two continues with additional conclusions from the committee.
