Griffin, NASA luminaries urge Obama to change space policy (Gene Kranz, American heroes)

Orlando Sentinal ^ | April, 12 2010 | American space heroes!

[Names Ash Housewares]

Dear President Obama;

America is faced with the near-simultaneous ending of the Shuttle program and your recent budget proposal to cancel the Constellation program. This is wrong for our country for many reasons. We are very concerned about America ceding its hard earned global leadership in space technology to other nations. We are stunned that, in a time of economic crisis, this move will force as many as 30,000 irreplaceable engineers and managers out of the space industry. We see our human exploration program, one of the most inspirational tools to promote science, technology, engineering and math to our young people, being reduced to mediocrity. NASA’s human space program has inspired awe and wonder in all ages by pursuing the American tradition of exploring the unknown. We strongly urge you to drop this misguided proposal that forces NASA out of human space operations for the foreseeable future.

[Names Ash Housewares]

For those of us who have accepted the risk and dedicated a portion of our lives to the exploration of outer space, this is a terrible decision. Our experiences were made possible by the efforts of thousands who were similarly dedicated to the exploration of the last frontier. Success in this great national adventure was predicated on well defined programs, an unwavering national commitment, and an ambitious challenge. We understand there are risks involved in human space flight, but they are calculated risks for worthy goals, whose benefits greatly exceed those risks.

America’s greatness lies in her people: she will always have men and women willing to ride rockets into the heavens. America’s challenge is to match their bravery and acceptance of risk with specific plans and goals worthy of their commitment. NASA must continue at the frontiers of human space exploration in order to develop the technology and set the standards of excellence that will enable commercial space ventures to eventually succeed. Canceling NASA’s human space operations, after 50 years of unparalleled achievement, makes that objective impossible.

One of the greatest fears of any generation is not leaving things better for the young people of the next. In the area of human space flight, we are about to realize that fear; your NASA budget proposal raises more questions about our future in space than it answers.

Too many men and women have worked too hard and sacrificed too much to achieve America’s preeminence in space, only to see that effort needlessly thrown away. We urge you to demonstrate the vision and determination necessary to keep our nation at the forefront of human space exploration with ambitious goals and the proper resources to see them through. This is not the time to abandon the promise of the space frontier for a lack of will or an unwillingness to pay the price.

Sincerely, in hopes of continued American leadership in human space exploration.

Walter Cunningham Apollo 7

Chris Kraft Past Director JSC

Jack Lousma Skylab 3, STS 3

Vance Brand Apollo-Soyuz, STS-5, STS-41B, STS-35

Bob Crippen STS-1, STS-7, STS-41C, STS-41G Past Director KSC

Michael D. Griffin Past NASA Administrator

Ed Gibson Skylab 4

Jim Kennedy Past Director KSC

Alan Bean Apollo 12, Skylab 3

Alfred M. Worden Apollo 15

Scott Carpenter Mercury Astronaut

Glynn Lunney Gemini-Apollo Flight Director

Jim McDivitt Gemini 4, Apollo 9 Apollo Spacecraft Program Manager

Gene Kranz Gemini-Apollo Flight Director Past Director NASA Mission Ops.

Joe Kerwin Skylab 2

Fred Haise Apollo 13, Shuttle Landing Tests

Gerald Carr Skylab 4

Jim Lovell Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8, Apollo 13

Jake Garn STS-51D, U.S. Senator

Charlie Duke Apollo 16

Bruce McCandless STS-41B, STS-31

Frank Borman Gemini 7, Apollo 8

Paul Weitz Skylab 2, STS-6

George Mueller Past Associate Administrator For Manned Space Flight

Harrison Schmitt Apollo 17, U.S. Senator

Gene Cernan Gemini 9, Apollo 10, Apollo 17

Dick Gordon Gemini 11, Apollo 12

[Names Ash Housewares]

Helluva list there of some of America’s best.

[Ladysmith]

The best of the best may as well beat their heads against the wall. Barry is about nothing but tearing our great nation apart.

[caddie]

These are a bunch of prime pilots.

Obama, on the other hand, is a miserable pud-knocker.

[DeusExMachina05]

Billions for deadbeats, not one cent for space exploration!

[Paladin2]

I think we should send one Kenyan TO THE MOON.

[1955Ford]

Sorry, manned space programs cost too much and return almost no new knowledge. (they tell use useless things like spiders make crooked webs in space). On the other hand, robotic spacecraft have been spectacularly successful. They get 1000x more bang per buck. We need missions to Europa and Enceladus, the Mars polar regions, and ice deposits on the moon. And we need new space telescopes to look for other Earth-like planets. Here is one thing I can agree with Obama on.

[Soothesayer]

Obama would not support the space program unless it could someone increase his political power. That is the only thing this rodent cares about.

[Ladysmith]

Ping

[oldenuff2no]

Not one black man has ever led an expedition of great discovery. Correct me if I an wrong but I do not remember a single discovery of a new land, new place, or any expedition of exploring the unknown parts of the world ever being led by a black person.
This came to mind as I was in a discussing with several black friends about the space program. Not one of them saw any value, past or present, in our nations space program. They all had the same comment, that they thought the money could be better spent right here at home on the people. When I pushed them on this they admitted they meant social entitlement programs.
I really had to shake my head and walk off. These folks can't see past the end of their nose. If Christopher Columbus had been black the native Americans would be a happy independent continental nation. So bring on the facts and please correct me if I am wrong. It seems that if they can't see it them it does not exist.

[diogenes ghost]

"Here is one thing I can agree with Obama on."

Really?

Scrapping manned flight by NASA in exchange for low orbit privatized flights may be a good short-term idea, but have you seen any plans for unmanned exploration?

Of course you haven't....his plan is to take as much money as possible out of NASA to spend elsewhere.

[pallis]

Welcome to the Third World.

[KevinDavis]

For other space news go to: http://www.spacetoday.net
For a list of Private Space Companies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_private_spaceflight_companies

[Army Air Corps]

Ping.

[Names Ash Housewares]

Show them this video........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQhNZENMG1o

[GeronL]

Oh you didn’t hear about the great explorer Al Maki Maki Wutu Maki?? He of present-day Johannesburgh led a mighty expedition all the way to present-day Somalia and returned with bountiful slaves!

/s

Oh you said exploration.

[Names Ash Housewares]

“Here is one thing I can agree with Obama on.”

The nations that lead on the frontiers, dictate the course of human history.

Human presence cannot be replicated by machines. Obama is tragically catastrophically wrong on this, as is his judgment on almost all matters.

You need to seriously re-evaluate your thinking on this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQhNZENMG1o

[SueRae]

Great letter. Gene Kranz is my personal favorite. I was inspired to my line of work by the space program in my childhood. We need to pass this pride on to our children.

[maine-iac7]

You post: “Sorry, manned space programs cost too much and return almost no new knowledge. “

Sorry - you are either woefully or willfully misinformed.
For one: the space program takes .05% of the budget.
For two: here's a list of some of the spin offs we have benefited from.

http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/

and the money will still be spent - obymmer has directed NASA to funnel the money to “predominately Muslim countries” to bring Muslim youth into the space sciences. (links below)

In addition, any decisions regarding NASA are legally given to Congress. obyummer is once again overstepping his authority.

tens of thousands of Americans in space program being put out of work - money to be funneled to Muslim countries -

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_space_thewritestuff/2010/02/nasa-plans-more-outreach-to-muslim-countries.html

NASA plans more outreach to Muslim countries

(per a directive from obama)

http://www.weaselzippers.net/blog/2010/02/obama-orders-nasa-to-work-with-muslim-countries-yes-nasa-and-no-this-isnt-from-the-onion.html

http://www.frugal-cafe.com/public_html/frugal-blog/frugal-cafe-blogzone/2010/02/28/obamas-budget-moon-mission-cut-thousands-of-nasa-workers-will-lose-jobs-houston-florida-will-be-hit-hard-with-unemployment-video/

headline:

“Obama calls ‘entrepreneurship summit’ with Muslims”

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.c429eac8e6bddb6d430d2b4d28386dd9.551&show_article=1

In addition, a letter from Hillary:

Hillary Clinton
Remarks at the U.S.-Islamic World Forum
Doha, Qatar
February 14, 2010

President Obama and I believe that education and innovation are the currency of this century. That's why he announced a new era of engagement with Muslim communities to expand educational opportunities, support entrepreneurs, and promote advances in science and technology.

Our goal is to identify excellent ideas and successful projects in Muslim communities and then invest in them, help to scale them up, and to connect innovators and entrepreneurs, so that they can support and enhance each other’s work.

We are creating a Global Technology and Innovation Fund, which we will launch this spring, that will provide hundreds of millions of dollars in capital to small and medium-sized businesses throughout the Middle East, Asia, and Africa . . .

We have to continue to expand and strengthen outreach to students. And that is why we have increased funding for educational exchange programs for Muslim students. NASA, our space program, has partnered with the Arab Youth Venture Foundation in Dubai to give Arab and American engineering students the chance to work together on NASA missions.

****************************

These are illegal acts - NOT the prerogative of the Executive Office under our Separation of Powers - indeed, NASA and the Space Program are legally under the auspices of CONGRESS. The WH has no legal right to by-pass Congress on NASA.

and so the redistribution of money out of OUR pockets kicks into high gear. (and the redistribution of jobs - tens of thousands of Americans will loose their jobs - as the money and jobs are given to Muslims around the world...not to mention the technology to create several more Irans. And then the Caliphate?)

Obama stated his goal of redistribution before he was elected...it's the prime tenet of the Black Liberationists churches, one of which he sat in for 20 years.

We are dealing with America-hating, One World Gov’t driven ‘enemies within’, the likes of which we have never seen or imagined in the history of this country.

Hear it in his own words -

Video/Text of President Barack Obama ‘s speech at Cairo University

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/04/obama-speech-in-cairo-vid_n_211215.html

WAKE UP AMERICA

[hout8475]

I have met him several times. When I was a teacher down in League City a few years ago, his grandson was one of my students. Great guy!