NASA, Don't need to go to the Moon. Develop new technologies instead

[continuum]

Here comes the new budget.

Scrubbing the proposed Moon missions. Develop new rocket tech instead.
Private agencies are going to come in too.

Source:

Quote:President Barack Obama is redirecting America's space program, killing NASA's $100 billion plans to return astronauts to the moon and using much of that money for new rocket technology research.

[kyjongl]

Man, more job loss

[markrw]

I'm in the aerospace industry so perhaps I don't see the overall picture. But it does seem dumb cutting such programs.

Obama: I'm going to create jobs by funding high speed rail.

What kind of jobs are going to be created by that? Seems to me the majority of them are laying tracks, grading the railbed and the like. Just what we need: more ditch digging as opposed to high end technology jobs that are created by the space program.

[kinematic]

(02-02-2010 01:49 PM)markrw Wrote:  I'm in the aerospace industry so perhaps I don't see the overall picture. But it does seem dumb cutting such programs.

Obama: I'm going to create jobs by funding high speed rail.

What kind of jobs are going to be created by that? Seems to me the majority of them are laying tracks, grading the railbed and the like. Just what we need: more ditch digging as opposed to high end technology jobs that are created by the space program.

Point well made. I was gonna say a similar observation. Now NASA has to rely on the Russians to make trips to the IST. How about servicing the Hubble? It needs a push once in a while to maintain orbit.

So much of technologies came out of the whole space program. Not to mention all the University funding and associated programs. faculty tenure, student scholarships, private contractors etc.

Similar problem came out after scrubbing the Comanche helicopter program. Boeing suffered a lot.

[continuum]

It seems that NASA is opening up lots of other opportunities.
Here (opens a PDF) the remarks from deputy administrator Lori Garver at the OSTP budget announcement.

Excerpt:

Quote:With President Obama’s new direction to NASA, we will be investing billions in the best peer reviewed research, innovative new technologies, dramatic flight demonstrations, and in building an inclusive new space industry, all of which are designed to again position NASA a national leader in research and development activities, and in meeting critical national needs.