Giuliani Wants Funding Increase For NASA

Republican Presidential candidate has announced his intention to seek a funding increase for NASA if elected President. His remarks come in a guest column published in Florida Today:

"We will maintain America's technological advantage in space. We will send Americans back to the moon and onto the next great frontier in human space exploration: Mars.

"We will support the Commercial Orbital Transportation Systems Program to stimulate important private entrepreneurial efforts in spaceflight.

"We will expand private-sector access to Cape Canaveral launch pads. To help prepare astronauts for longer stays in space, we will fund the Space Life Sciences Lab.

"NASA currently receives less than 1 percent of the federal budget -- six-tenths of 1 percent, to be more exact. An increase would do wonders without affecting 99 percent of the federal budget. That's the fiscally conservative approach: getting a good return on your dollar."

Giuliani is fighting for his political life in Florida right now. Polls in the state show him continuing to slide while McCain and Romney make gains. In the latest polling data, he is now fourth, behind McCain and Romney (virtually tied) and Huckabee.

Perhaps his remarks are an effort to drum up support along the Space Coast, but he seemed genuinely concerned about the time it will take to bring Orion online after the space shuttle retires. At a roundtable visit to Cape Canaveral, he voiced conern for the lag and, at the time, called it unacceptable. Today's statements represent his followup to that visit and a first look at a possible Giuliani space policy.

If nothing else, these are words that supporters of space exploration rarely hear from a Presidential candidate and so should be welcome.

Giuliani has a visit scheduled today, Jan. 27, at Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach.

Coincidentally. this is the 41-year anniversary of the tragic Apollo 1 fire.

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080126/COLUMNISTS0205/801260311/1138/OPINION

Space Coast Loses A Vital Ally In Washington

It was bound to happen. U.S. Representative Dave Weldon announced he is going to retire and return to private life. NASA and the Space Coast will be losing a valuable ally in Washington.

Weldon, in his 7th term, holds a seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee. His position has enabled him to fight for space issues during critical times leading up to the initial assembly of the space station, during the aftermath of the Columbia accident and work to position Kennedy Space Center to move forward with Constellation.

His efforts have resulted in the preservation of necessary funding for the space center. He helped KSC secure the role as the site for final assembly of the Orion spacecraft. More recently, he proposed legislation to give NASA a $10 billion increase in funding in order to eliminate the now-infamous "gap" in human launch capability between the shuttle and Orion.

A number of Republicans have expressed interest in running for Weldon's seat, and most of them are supporters of space exploration. Unfortunately, regardless of how supportive any freshman Congressman may be, the Space Coast will lose Weldon's seniority, and influence, during the most critical time for NASA and the space industry since the early 1970's.

Read more: http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080126/NEWS01/801260345/-1/archives

Rep. Weldon's SPACE Act: http://weldon.house.gov/space_act/

Sen. Martinez Supports Increasing NASA's Budget

Maybe it's just election year babble, but Florida Republican U.S. Senator Mel Martinez spoke out in favor of bosting NASA's budget to eliminate the 5 year gap between the retirement of the space shuttle and Orion becoming operational.

"That gap of time is critical," Martinez said. "Can you imagine the United States having to rely on Vladimir Putin to put a man or woman in space? I believe the United States should not be dependent on anyone else."

"We have a national security imperative in being pre-eminent in space," Martinez said, citing the Global Positioning System satellite, as well as military communications satellites. "If all of that was to go dark, we'd have a heck of a problem."

It's important to note that Martinez' seat isn't up for election this year, so I wouldn't necessarily consider his statements to be pandering for votes.

I also took note that he didn't speak of any specific dollar amounts, proposals or legislative action that he's taken. At this point it seems more a symbolic statement than anything else. However, more politicians (and candidates for political office) have voiced concern about the gap, which isn't a bad thing.

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080116/NEWS02/801160345/1007/NEWS02

United Launch Alliance Announces Management Changes

United Launch Alliance President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Gass today named Rick Navarro as director, Delta II Programs and Jerry Jamison as director, Launch Operations.

Previously, both men served in the dual capacity of Director, Launch Operations since the formation of ULA Dec. 1, 2006.

Navarro fills a new position executing ULA's strategic business strategy of remaining the leader in the medium launch market for current and future Delta II program business.

Jamison, will continue to lead the more than 1,200 employees at launch sites at Cape Canaveral AFS, and Vandenberg AFB, Calif. He is responsible for integrating the launch services for ULA's three launch vehicles, the Atlas V, Delta II and Delta IV and associated product lines.

United Space Alliance Prepares For Workforce Transition

Florida Today reports that NASA's space shuttle primary contractor United Space Alliance is offering a plan to help ease the transition to the post-shuttle era for workers at Kennedy Space Center.

"NASA and contractor United Space Alliance plan to give enhanced severance packages to most laid-off shuttle workers and “completion bonuses” to some highly-skilled employees who stay through the final mission, which is scheduled for 2010. In some cases, long-time workers could get as much as a year’s pay after they finish their work with the company," reported the newspaper following a meeting with United Space Alliance chief executive officer Dick Covey.

Read the article here

PlanetSpace Unveils Rocket That Could Fly From Cape Canaveral

PROMONTORY, UTAH, Jan 9-10, 2008 -- The PlanetSpace team, comprised of teammates Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Alliant Techsystems (ATK), and the Bank of Montreal (Financial Advisor), hosted a future space transportation open house at ATK’s facilities in Promontory, Utah. Available launch vehicle and spacecraft hardware provided assurance that a low-risk path is available for commercial-type space transportation. Congressional and senior representatives from several government agencies participated in this event where the team revealed plans addressing NASA’s near term, ISS space cargo delivery requirements driven by the retirement of the Space Shuttle in 2010 and other space vehicle requirements placing an assortment of payloads in specific orbits.

The team gathered together at ATK’s facilities in Promontory, Utah, surrounded by solid rocket motors, modular cargo carriers, and a mockup of the Conestoga, a space personnel carrier. Attendees were impressed at the sheer size of the existing systems. “Here is the proof showing that we can leverage our flight proven systems and component capabilities at Lockheed Martin and ATK meeting future Space transportation needs for NASA and other customers” said Dr Chirinjeev Kathuria Chairman of PlanetSpace.

ATK, the world’s leading provider of solid rocket propulsion, is currently developing the first stage for NASA’s Ares I launch vehicle and manufactures the Shuttle SRBs. Combining existing solid rocket boosters with minor upper stage enhancements provides a low cost launch capability paving the way for near term demonstrations. “Our ability to utilize propulsion elements currently in production greatly reduces the development time and enables us to provide a near-term, low-risk solution,” said Joel Crook, Director of Advanced Programs at ATK. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, using it’s vast interplanetary and autonomous spacecraft design, build, system integration, and mission operations experience, is developing the Orbital Transfer Vehicles (OTVs) for PlanetSpace. The OTVs include a modular cargo carrier and the Conestoga. “Basing our spacecraft design and performance on existing systems, including the Genesis on display to my right, brings a sense of reality to achieving highly reliable cargo delivery in the near future” said Al Simpson, Director Advanced Programs, Human Space Flight at Lockheed Martin.

Romney Visits The Space Coast But Makes No Promises

Presidential candidate mitt Romney paid a visit to Florida's Space Coast on Monday, but offered little more than vague support for NASA and the space industry. While he has expressed support for the space industry as well as the Vision for Space Exploration as outlined by President Bush (and made law by Congress), he declined, outright refused, to make any specific commitments to the space program during his visit.

"I do not have a budget for you on the gap," he said. "I'm not making promises, because I shouldn't make promises until I've studied something."

It's fair to note that Romney comes from a busines background, and was successful in his past endeavours. In business, promises shouldn't be made hastily or without knowing all the facts first. Perhaps that explains his slightly disappointing statements.

Romney definitely needs to do his homework. At one point he remarked, regarding the 5 year gay in U.S. human spaceflight beginning in 2010, "I would have guessed that would have been something we would have anticipated."

Well, in fact, the "gap" has been an unpleasant feature of the Vision since the beginning. Since the bulk of funding for Constellation (Ares V and the lunar lander, specifically) has to come from money freed up by retiring the shuttle, Constellation development won't be able to really ramp up until AFTER the shuttle is gone, and then it will take several years before it'll be operational.

The "gap" isn't a surprise to anyone except Romney. It is, however, a pending crisis which Giuliani recognized and spoke of it being "unacceptable." It would have been nice if Romney had, at the very least, voiced similar concern and desire to help.

I credit Mitt's lack of understanding to he and his staff not studying the issue closely (yet). There are a lot of other issues on the minds of Americans. Of course, before someone campaigns in the SPACE COAST, it might be a good idea to study up on the whole space program thing.

Hopefully, the Romney campaign will come up with some sort of science/space position paper before the primary. Other candidates have. Even Clinton and Obama have. As someone who professes to recognize the value of technology and R&D pre-eminence, Romney should realize that the space program is just about the biggest technology and R&D program in the country.

In spite of the tepid remarks during his visit, I actually expect Romney to be a strong supporter of space if he becomes president. I expect it because he understands the importance of national leadership in science, techology and, as I said, research and development. There's no mistaking that he wants to maintain the superiority of the U.S. in those areas, to strengthen the country at home and globally. I think that would translate over into his support for the space program.

I could be wrong, of course. In 2000, who would have thought that then Gov. Bush would end up being the President to set the country on a course back to the Moon and then to Mars. He certainly wasn't credited with having vision in 2000, but somehow (somewhat) it came through in 2004. In politics, there's always room for surprises.

Huckabee may visit Brevard County and KSC this week, but right now it looks like he won't. He'll be in Gainesville on the 22nd, then Ft. Lauderdale and Boca Raton on the 23rd and 24th. I didn't see a stop in Brevard in his schedule. He has, however, expressed support for the space program in the past.

Mitt Romney To Visit the Space Coast, Tour KSC

Following on the heels of Rudy Giuliani, Republican Presidential candidate Frm. Gov. Mitt Romney is scheduled to make a swing through Brevard County today. He will take a tour of KSC and see Atlantis on the launch pad and then will participate in a roundtable with space industry officials at Port Canaveral (AJT & Associates). Sponsored by the Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast, the seminar is the latest attempt at spurring the candidates' interest in , and hopefully support of, the space program, NASA and the need to devise a better transition to Constellation following the retirement of the space shuttle in a few years.

I'll be interesting to see what Romney has to say. His only previous comment regarding space was that he didn't see any need to change the direction the Vision for Space Exploration is taking the country. While not a condemnation of NASA or the Vision, it wasn't exactly a ringing endorsement either. Now that the battle for Florida is underway, I'm sure he'll have more (good) things to say. If we're lucky, he won't forget them on Jan. 30.

Republican Presidential Candidate Giuliani Voices Support For Kennedy Space Center

GOP Presidential candidate Rudolph Giuliani visited the Space Caost last Friday as he continues the campaign leading up to the state's Jan. 29 primary. He toured Kennedy Space Center, where he remarked, after seeing the space shuttle Atlantis on the launch pad, "It's remarkable to see it up close. The space program is one of America's remarkable achievements."

See Florida Today's report here: http://www.floridatoday.com/floridatoday/blogs/spaceteam/

The most important thing to come out of Giuliani's visit was his statements in support of providing the necessary support to NASA to minimize the gap between the retirement of the space shuttle and manned operational flights of Orion. During a projected 5-year gap, the U.S. will be dependent upon the Russians for supplying the International Space Station with supplies and crew transport using the Progress and Soyuz spacecraft.

Following a meeting with space industry leaders, who warned of serious consequences of "The Gap", Giuliani stressed his desire to minimize the the U.S. manned spaceflight downtime. "This is not acceptable," said Giuliani. "America should be No. 1 and shouldn't have to be dependent on other countries... Our goal is, let's make sure we close this gap."

Hopefully, his words won't be like those of so many politicians running for office: empty and quickly forgotten once power is gained. Rudy Giuliani is perhaps the most concered candidate regarding U.S. supremacy, especially in areas of national security and "high ground," so I'm cautiously optimistic his words can survive the remainder of the campaign.

It's interesting to note that of all the candidates who have the most realistic chances of becoming the next U.S. President, Sen. Hillary Clinton, Sen. Barak Obama, Senc John McCain, Gov. Mitt Romney and Hon. Rudolph Giuliani, have expressed the strongest verbal support for continuing development of Orion and minimizing the transition time between shuttle and Constellation, although promises and plans are woefully lacking.

Let's hope they don't forget. But... I'm not going to take bets on it.