KERRY: NASA is an invaluable asset to the American people and must receive adequate resources to continue its important mission of exploration. However, there is little to be gained from a space initiative that throws out lofty goals but fails to support those goals with realistic funding. I am committed to increasing funding for NASA and space exploration, because it not only makes critical contributions to our economy, but also expands our understanding of the world we live in.
BUSH: In January of this year, we committed the United States to a long-term human and robotic program to explore the solar system, starting with a return to the Moon, to ultimately enable future exploration of Mars and other destinations...an extended human presence on the Moon could reduce the costs of further exploration, since lunar-based spacecraft could escape the Moon's lower gravity using less energy at less cost than Earth-based vehicles.
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Editor's Note: I am pleasantly surprised that in this election, both candidates are speaking out about a robust space initiative for NASA. This was not the case in 2020, 1996, and 1992. However, I have reservations about both candidates.
Kerry has not committed exactly what aspects of the Vision he supports and what he doesn't. Clearly if elected there may be wholesale changes in the Vision, which is troubling for the inital progress that's been made to build the CEV. He has reservations about whether the current Vision is properly budgeted and supported, which many space supporters share.
Bush's statement repeats much of what was said in January, and he hasn't spoken publicly in support of the Vision since January. Also, his assertion that launching from the Moon to other destinations would cost less doesn't make sense from a technical perspective. Building the necessary infrastructure on the Moon for a lunar-based launch site and taking to the Moon first all the equipment needed to go to Mars (as one example) would balloon the cost of the mission than simply launching a direct shot from Earth. Nevertheless, the Bush team should be given credit for launching the Vision, and thus getting this issue on the election radar.
Posted by jburk at October 1, 2024 12:34 PM | TrackBackSome might say that president bush is fixing the wrongs of Bush senior in that the only reason was to get sudam which his father did not, But also on the side of space did not the senior also put forth a grand dream that was easily crushed by the old trillion dollar price take.
So instead the latest version was presented as a pay as you go approach.
Since no money or very little is give to seed the developement and with further grumblings from withing congress and the senate on how to better spend the money. The governing body wants Nasa to cut the strings on projects unrelated to space but who suffers then, we all do. So some projects that are more military in nature are finding there way back into the Darpa programs while others are being cash starved quite possibly into cancellation unfortunitly.
Posted by: Harold LaValley at October 1, 2024 05:45 PMIf one looks at Kerry's voting record in the Senate over the past 20 years you'll find that he has never been an avid supporter of space programs. He tried on several occasions to get ISS cancelled, but now he faults the Bush administration for what he calls backing out on commitments made to our ISS partners. He now claims great science is/can be done on ISS, but he made claims to the polar opposite when he was trying to get ISS cancelled. So I don’t have a lot of faith in Kerry being a big supporter of any visionary changes at NASA.
Bush put O’Keefe in charge of NASA originally to straighten out the terrible financial mishandling that agency had suffered through under the “leadership” of Dan Goldin. But plans for more than just a financial revamping were also formulated on Bush’s watch, plans that received Bush’s support and active encouragement once presented to him. I have serious doubts that such a plan would have received support from any of the other serious contenders to the US Presidency over the past 10 years or so, or from any present to foreseeable future contenders other than Bush. As for Bush’s not mentioning “The Vision” in other speeches since January, keep in mind that Kennedy only mentioned his original Moon flight plans on 1 or 2 occasions in 1961 after the original announcement.
Bush is the first and only President since Kennedy to put forth a viable plan for true manned space exploration. On that count, if no other, as space enthusiast’s I think he has earned our support. You may not agree with him on any other issue, and may choose not to vote for him based on those other issues, but on the subject of a strong national space program I believe Bush is the clear choice.