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Wednesday’s CSExtra features the latest reporting on space related activities: President Obama stresses the need for improved education, investments in research and development in his second State of the Union Address. The nation has reached a “Sputnik moment,” and must strive to win the future, Obama tells Americans in a significant but solo reference to NASA. The President proposes a five-year freeze on most discretionary spending. Separately, the House adopts a nonbinding resolution that would roll spending back to 2008 levels for most federal agencies for the rest of 2011. The space policy impacts of the two actions are not immediately clear. More on NASA’s plans to lease out large parts of the Kennedy Space Center as the shuttle program retires. A prominent place on the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee awaits Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, once she recovers from gun shot wounds. Barbara Morgan, the backup to NASA Teacher-in-Space Christa McAuliffe. reflects on the shuttle Challenger tragedy, which occurred 25 years ago on Friday.
1. From the Washington Post: In his State of the Union Address, President Obama says the Nation has reached a “Sputnik moment,” in which it must invent a way to “win the future.” “Obama repeatedly declared the imperative to ‘win the future’,” comparing the current need for innovation to the space race against the Soviet Union in the 1950s and 1960s,” the Post reports. “Calling for more dedication to research and technology as he raised the specter of a rapidly growing China and India, Obama declared: ‘This is our generation’s Sputnik moment’.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/25/AR2011012504068.html
A. From Spacepolicyonline.com: NASA receives a glancing mention in President Obama’s State of the Union Address. The nation has reached another Sputnik moment, Obama said. The President proposes increased spending on research in future budgets, though he did not specify the host agencies and programs. Obama did say he will propose what he termed a long overdue re-organization of the federal bureaucracy this year as well.
http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/pages/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1374:national-journal-releases-text-of-sotu-sputnik-mentioned-but-nasa-only-peripherally&catid=67:news&Itemid=27
B. From NASAwatch.com: NASA receives a rear view mention in President Obama’s State of the Union speech. The remarks focus on re-tooling the nation’s educational systems, infrastructure and commitment to research and development to establish a strong economy and improve global competitiveness. http://nasawatch.com/archives/2011/01/nasa-mentioned.html
C. From Spacepolitics.com: The five-year budget freeze on discretionary spending will be harmful to NASA, though the details are unclear, according to the website.
http://www.spacepolitics.com/2011/01/25/could-nasa-warm-up-to-a-budget-freeze/
D. From spacepolicylinline.com: The House Tuesday passed a non-binding resolution that would roll spending for most federal agencies back to 2008 levels. The action came before the State of the Union address. The resolution speaks to 2011 spending after the current continuing budget resolution expires on March 4. The resolution, which would not impact defense and homeland security activities, passes 256-165 in the Republican controlled House.
http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/pages/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1373:house-fires-salvo-to-cut-fy2011-non-security-spending-to-fy2008-levels&catid=67:news&Itemid=27
2. From Aviation Week and Space Technology: NASA adjusts to the future with preparations to lease out the Vehicle Assembly Building, hangars, launch pads and runways at the Kennedy Space Center as the shuttle program comes to a close. “NASA is challenged as a key element of this transition to re-scope and, as appropriate, downsize its infrastructure and facilities footprint to most efficiently support the missions within expected funding levels,” a NASA notification states to commercial interests and other government agencies that may be interested in the facilities.
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/asd/2011/01/25/07.xml&headline=NASA%20To%20Lease%20Some%20KSC%20Facilities&channel=space
3. From Spacepolitics.com: U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords will fill the role of ranking Democrat on the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, a NASA oversight panel, when she recovers from a serious gunshot wound. While the Arizona congresswoman rehabilitates from a Jan. 8 gunshot wound, Congressman Jerry Costello, an Illinois Democrat, will fill the position.
http://www.spacepolitics.com/2011/01/25/democratic-membership-of-the-house-science-committee/
4. From Space.com: Friday will mark the 25th anniversary of the Jan. 28, 1986 shuttle Challenger tragedy. Challenger’s crew included New Hampshire school teacher Christa McAuliffe. McAuliffe’s backup for the mission, Barbara Morgan, eventually flew — on an August 2007 shuttle mission. Morgan reflects on Challenger in a question-and-answer session with Space.com
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/10687-challenger-anniversary-barbara-morgan-teacher-space.html
5. From Universe Today: Historian and author Andrew Chaikin offers his thoughts on whether any President will again call on the nation to achieve a goal rivaling Apollo. Likely not. The moon race was a historical anomaly, Chaikin explains.
http://www.universetoday.com/82821/was-the-apollo-program-an-anomaly/#more-82821
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