Okay, the fact that they had an "Orion vessel" in the works is worth a mention all by itself.
I'm trying something new with my journal, which is to talk about stuff that is actually interesting and important to me, rather than talking just to hear myself out loud (so to speak). I'm going to start posting news articles, essays, and other things that catch my eye, as often as I can. And maybe offer some commentary along the way, if I see a place for it.
Today is Science Day. I've been following up on Obama's new budget plans for NASA, which include expanding the overall budget but cutting the Constellation program that was created "to send astronauts back to the moon and turning to private companies for transportation into orbit", as well as stripping down the Orion program, which was to ferry astronauts to the moon as well as the International Space Station (source: nytimes). (I was just as disappointed as you are to learn that the Orion vessel would not, in fact, be piloted by green women.)
There has been a surprising (at least in my opinion) amount of uproar over this move. Several outspoken critics well-known to the public (Neil Armstrong and Republican Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama) have expressed concerns that America will lose is position as the leader in space exploration. In an open letter released by NBC, former astronauts Neil Armstrong, James Lovell and Eugene Cernan provide the following argument:
"America’s only path to low Earth orbit and the International Space Station will now be subject to an agreement with Russia to purchase space on their Soyuz (at a price of over 50 million dollars per seat with significant increases expected in the near future) until we have the capacity to provide transportation for ourselves."
Now, I am all for space exploration. I mean, dude, space is filled Sith Lords and Greek Gods and sexy logical aliens! I can't wait until we get out of low Earth orbit! But regarding the worries addressed in the letter, another astronaut offers a straightfoward reply.
"The simple truth is that we have already been to the Moon - some 40 years ago. What this nation needs in order to maintain its position as the 21st century leader in space exploration is a near-term focus on lowering the cost of access to space and on developing key, cutting-edge technologies that will take us further and faster - while expanding our opportunities for exploration along the way." --Buzz Aldrin.
I can't help but agree. It's like we're stuck in the 60's, unable to abandon the idea that we are somehow still running a Race to Space. We have already accomplished the mission that Constellation was created for.
Or have we? American politicians have a different point of view. "Mr. Conrad [Democrat Senator of North Dakota and chairman of the Senate Budget committee] cited national security concerns that abandoning the Ares I, which uses a stretched version of the space shuttle's solid rocket booster, would drive up the cost of solid rocket motors used for ballistic missiles. "
...Okay, so we are stuck in the 60's.
Even more interestingly, Senator Shelby voices what is likely the biggest concern of all:
"Future generations will learn how the Chinese, the Russians, and even the Indians took the reins of space exploration away from the United States,” says Mr. Shelby.
Did you hear that? By the time America drags its ass back to the moon, even the Indians will have already gotten there to swarm all over our playground! We cannot allow this to happen! If we wait too long, the whole damn satellite will be covered in Kwik-E-Marts and takeaway curry places!
...Mm. Now I want curry.
Other sources:
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2010/04/14/2270153.aspx
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36470363
Today is Science Day. I've been following up on Obama's new budget plans for NASA, which include expanding the overall budget but cutting the Constellation program that was created "to send astronauts back to the moon and turning to private companies for transportation into orbit", as well as stripping down the Orion program, which was to ferry astronauts to the moon as well as the International Space Station (source: nytimes). (I was just as disappointed as you are to learn that the Orion vessel would not, in fact, be piloted by green women.)
There has been a surprising (at least in my opinion) amount of uproar over this move. Several outspoken critics well-known to the public (Neil Armstrong and Republican Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama) have expressed concerns that America will lose is position as the leader in space exploration. In an open letter released by NBC, former astronauts Neil Armstrong, James Lovell and Eugene Cernan provide the following argument:
"America’s only path to low Earth orbit and the International Space Station will now be subject to an agreement with Russia to purchase space on their Soyuz (at a price of over 50 million dollars per seat with significant increases expected in the near future) until we have the capacity to provide transportation for ourselves."
Now, I am all for space exploration. I mean, dude, space is filled Sith Lords and Greek Gods and sexy logical aliens! I can't wait until we get out of low Earth orbit! But regarding the worries addressed in the letter, another astronaut offers a straightfoward reply.
"The simple truth is that we have already been to the Moon - some 40 years ago. What this nation needs in order to maintain its position as the 21st century leader in space exploration is a near-term focus on lowering the cost of access to space and on developing key, cutting-edge technologies that will take us further and faster - while expanding our opportunities for exploration along the way." --Buzz Aldrin.
I can't help but agree. It's like we're stuck in the 60's, unable to abandon the idea that we are somehow still running a Race to Space. We have already accomplished the mission that Constellation was created for.
Or have we? American politicians have a different point of view. "Mr. Conrad [Democrat Senator of North Dakota and chairman of the Senate Budget committee] cited national security concerns that abandoning the Ares I, which uses a stretched version of the space shuttle's solid rocket booster, would drive up the cost of solid rocket motors used for ballistic missiles. "
...Okay, so we are stuck in the 60's.
Even more interestingly, Senator Shelby voices what is likely the biggest concern of all:
"Future generations will learn how the Chinese, the Russians, and even the Indians took the reins of space exploration away from the United States,” says Mr. Shelby.
Did you hear that? By the time America drags its ass back to the moon, even the Indians will have already gotten there to swarm all over our playground! We cannot allow this to happen! If we wait too long, the whole damn satellite will be covered in Kwik-E-Marts and takeaway curry places!
...Mm. Now I want curry.
Other sources:
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2010/04/14/2270153.aspx
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36470363