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Friday’s CSExtra features a roundup of reporting and commentary on Senate action Thursday on a NASA authorization measure, a prospective “compromise” between President Obama’s Budget initiative to foster the development of commercial space transportation services and Congressional opposition to the cancellation of the Constellation Program. The House must present a similar measure, and appropriators must furnish the funding, but the tone of first day reports suggests the White House and Congress have the makings of a workable, affordable blueprint after months of wrangling.
1. From the New York Times: Senate panel finds unanimous bipartisan agreement on a blueprint for NASA that cancels the Constellation Program, starts investments in commercial companies that could build rockets to take astronauts to low Earth orbit and speeds development of a heavy-lift rocket for more distant missions.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/16/science/space/16nasa.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=NASA&st=cse
A. From Spacepolicyonline.com: A compilation of Thursday’s Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee proceedings, with links to opening and follow-up statement from members.
http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/pages/
2. From Politico: The Senate breaks NASA stalemate. White House sees many of the President’s goals still intact. “The White House praised those items and others shortly after the committee vote on Thursday.” A spokesman told Politico the legislation ‘recognizes that the Constellation program is no longer the right program for achieving our boldest ambitions,’ while emboldening private space industry, boosting NASA’s funds by $6 billion, among other benefits. He added the authorization ‘represents an important first step towards helping us achieve the key goals the President laid out.’
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0710/39795_Page2.html#ixzz0tmXGnd1p
3. From The Hill: In a blog, U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf, the ranking Republican on the House appropriations subcommittee with jurisdiction over NASA, applauds the Senate NASA authorization measure passed by the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on Thursday. His report indicates House support for the measure, which Wolf notes addresses issues raised earlier by 62 House members who urged an acceleration of heavy lift rocket development and a crew capsule for deep space missions.
http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/technology/109109-adoption-of-nasa-compromise-means-continued-leadership-in-space-exploration-rep-frank-wolf
4. From Reuters via the Washington Post: Key Senate committee extends shuttle program as job saving compromise in exchange for Administration’s desire to end NASA’s back to the moon program. The administration broadly supported the committee plan. “This is a milestone in the realignment of the space program for the 21st century,” said Lori Garver, NASA’s deputy administrator. “It preserves the most important parts of the President’s plan.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/15/AR2010071505913.html
5. From Spacepolitics.com: Passage of the Senate measure was short and sweet. There were amendments with little open discussion. One restores $15 million in funding for the suborbital research under the Commercial Reusable Suborbital Research (CRuSR) program (scientists, engineers could make these flights using suborbital rockets).
http://www.spacepolitics.com/2010/07/15/senate-committee-adopts-compromise-nasa-bill/
6. From Space News: Senate measure seeks middle ground, while slowing White House commercial space transportation initiative. The White House sounds a supportive note: “While we are still in the process of reviewing the details of the draft, the bill appears to contain the critical elements necessary for achieving the President’s vision for NASA and represents an important first step towards helping us achieve the key goals the President has laid out,” the administration official said in a July 15 statement. “We look forward to continuing to work with Congress to help advance an ambitious and achievable space program, one that helps us blaze a new trail of innovation and discovery.”
http://www.spacenews.com/policy/100715-senate-nasa-bill.html
7. From the Houston Chronicle: The Senate NASA measure is a Houston job saver, the Chronicle reports. As many as 7,000 jobs were at stake under the White House plan to cancel NASA Constellation Program and emphasize commercial space transportation for crew and cargo to the space station. One economic expert estimates that 80 to 85 percent of those jobs would not longer be in jeopardy if the measure receives House and White House concurrence.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7110626.html
8. From Florida Today: A key U.S. Senate committee took a first step Thursday toward ending NASA’s Constellation program, approving legislation that also would add a shuttle mission and potentially redefine Kennedy Space Center’s future. While helping NASA develop a heavy-lift rocket for exploration missions as soon as 2016, the space center would reorganize to manage investments in commercial crew taxi services and research new technologies.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100716/NEWS02/7160322/1086/Senators+realign+NASA+s+direction
A. From the Orlando Sentinel: The Senate measure, if enacted, would keep 2,500 shuttle employees working an additional four to six months. Constellation dies a quiet death, the Orlando Sentinel reports. NASA receives a new rocket for an as yet undefined mission. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/os-nasa-senate-committee-vote-20100715,0,2590515.story
9. From the Huntsville Times: Alabama officials hail compromise. U.S. Sen. David Vittner, R-LA., says the bi-partisan measure has the support of Congressional appropriators as well as authorizers. Story has link to Thursday’s news conference following Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee passage.
http://blog.al.com/space-news/2010/07/nasa_deal_senators_hold_out_ho.html
A. From WHNT-TV of Huntsville, Ala.: Mayor Tommy Battle calls news conference on Thursday to applaud the Senate’s NASA measure.
http://www.whnt.com/news/whnt-nasa-authorization-bill-mayor-battle-reaction-071510,0,5432715.story
10. From the Deseret News of Utah: Senate passage offers Utah’s solid rocket industry a glimmer of hope. Heavy job losses at ATK accompany cancellation of NASA’s Constellation program. Utah senators, Orin Hatch and Bob Bennett call the measure a step in the right direction. “Today, after six months of work, we have taken an important first step away from the abyss,” Hatch said. “The bill that came out of committee today does not address all the issues, but it holds the potential of maintaining our civilian solid rocket motor rocket capability.”
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700048551/Utah-legislators-praise-NASA-authorization-bills-progress.html
11. From Space.com: Senate bill sets NASA on course to the asteroids, Mars. U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R. TX, notes the measure will prevent the loss of U.S. dominance in space.
http://www.exploredeepspace.com/news/senate-approves-nasa-bill-shuttle-extension-100715.html
12. From Spaceflightnow.com: Report characterizes the Senate measure as “significant” while noting it sets NASA on a course to the asteroids and Mars. Also, that it would cut President Obama’s proposed spending on commercial space transportation in half.
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1007/15senate/
13. From Universe Today: Tiny planet Mercury is hot but hardly boring. Newly published results from NASA’s MESSENGER mission to the planet closest to the sun find surprising volcanic activity.
http://www.universetoday.com/2010/07/15/latest-look-at-mercury-reveals-surprises/
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