NASA’s future
So I’ve been reading on the Bad Astronomy/Universe Today message boards (www.bautforum.com) and have some thoughts on what I hope is the future of NASA. A couple years ago President Bush (in a rare stroke of genius…VERY rare) ordered NASA to send man back to the moon, and beyond to Mars. At the same time, the US government has REDUCED NASA’s budget! (ok this sounds more like the Bush administration, order you to do something and not give you the means to accomplish it), So what does this mean? This means the science mission NASA has been planning are on the cutting block. The money to go to the moon has to come from somewhere, and Griffin is doing what he can.
What I don’t understand is why we are still absolutely throwing money at the STS (Shuttle Transportation System) and the ISS (international Space Station) when they are, really, nothing more than money pits. Here’s why I think that:
The Shuttle fleet is currently not cleared to fly due to issues with the foam insulation on the main tank. NASA is spending millions of dollars fixing the foam when there are not many flights left in the STS program anyway. What will happen if we discontinue the STS program? Well that would be the end of the Hubble Space Telescope for one. The HST depends on shuttle flights to maintain the systems and update the hardware/software. It would also mean there would never again be a full crew on the ISS as the STS is the only system able to put more than a couple astronaut/cosmonauts into LEO (Low Earth Orbit).
This brings us to the ISS. For the last 4 years or so there has only been a maintenance sized crew onboard the ISS. Basically only about 2 people at a time. With that size crew it takes most of their time just maintaining the systems, and the only reason they’re maintaining the systems is to support themselves. Quite a circle. And again we’re dumping millions of dollars into this program. What would be the result of canceling the ISS? Well, we wouldn’t have a permanent human presence in space. And with the STS program cancelled, there wouldn’t be an Americans in space at all. But keep in mind, the Russians are still flying in space (in fact if it weren’t for the Russian space program the ISS would not have been manned at all since the Columbia disaster) and so are the Chinese. Also, it appears Brazil is about to put their first citizen into space, although he will be going up aboard a Russian launched vehicle.
What I wish would happen? I wish NASA would go ahead and cancel the STS and ISS programs. I know that there is a lot of sentimental reasons for keeping these programs going, but the truth is there’s not really any reason for it anymore. These programs have now completed their missions. What NASA needs to do is continue funding the science programs that have taken a back burner. They also need to develop a new Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle (HLLV) in order to make getting back to the moon, and ultimately Mars, more efficient.
We need the science to drive discovery and exploration and to fuel our dreams about intelligent life outside our Solar System. And we need to get to the moon, eventually to Mars in order to make the next Giant Leap for Mankind. I just hope NASA sees this before it’s too late.
