Progressive Space Policy & Netroots Nation
Mon Jan 21, 2008 at 07:21:49 PM PDT
Yesterday, my diary Progressive Space Policy & Human Spaceflight was posted to promote discussion of progressive attitudes towards human spaceflight especially given the strong prospects for electing a Democratic POTUS & continued Democratic control of Congress.
US space policy is at a cross-roads. The Space Shuttle and ISS approach genuine white elephant status. Commercial space ventures are on the cusp of becoming viable but remain far from a sure thing. We lack consensus on WHY we even have a human spaceflight program and for many the risk & expense of putting humans in space is simply unjustified.
However, any POTUS who terminates the American human space program would be vilified for the surrender of a potent symbol of American prestige and since NASA employs a great many people in key electoral states such as Florida the political costs would be enormous.
Perhaps our Democratic leadership should simply "kick the can down the road" and hope that nothing bad happens on their watch (such as loss of another shuttle).
But would that be the progressive thing to do?
Should human spaceflight be placed high on the list of priorities needing the attention of the progressive community?
Probably not.
However, US space policy truly is at a cross-roads and decisions made between 2009 and 2012 will have consequences that shall last decades. A stitch in time saves nine and therefore to allocate a modest amount of attention to these issues is entirely warranted, in my opinion.
How much attention?
If we use the Netroots Nation schedule as our model, to devote one morning from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon or one afternoon from say 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm to a discussion that seeks to develop a progressive vision for human spaceflight would be entirely appropriate, in my opinion. And this would merely constitute one track amongst many.
Apart from Netroots Nation, a similar level of attention from progressive bloggers seems appropriate to me. NOT to trump the other genuinely urgent issues that we face but as one of the full spectrum of issues that a political party holding power will need to address.
What topics might be addressed at Netroots Nation space exploration track? My initial thoughts are as follows and I seek further suggestions:
(1) Space shuttle // ISS // Replacement systems
Before Colbert went off on his own, he and Jon Stewart did a funny bit on the ISS and Shuttle program. This is from memory and is paraphrased:
Stewart: So tell me, why do we need the Space Shuttle, anyway.
Colbert: Jon, we need the Shuttle because it is the only vehicle that is capable of completing the International Space Station.
Stewart: Well, okay. But why do we need the International Space Station?
Colbert: Jon, Jon, Jon. If we didn't have the International Space Station, what would the Space Shuttle do? Think about it, Jon.
In real life, the Space Shuttle is very near to the end of its useful service life AND the amounts of useful payload it can place into Earth orbit are quite small compared with the money spent to continue flying that system.
George W. Bush and NASA Administrator Michael Griffin have proposed a replacement program that goes by the acronym ESAS - Exploration Systems Architecture Study.
Serious controversy exists as to whether the ESAS is the proper system to replace the shuttle AND decisions made in the next few years could lock NASA into a truly deficient platform. If that becomes final on the watch of a Democratic POTUS, there could well be future political repercussions.
Unfortunately lack of space precludes my presentation of much detail, here. A future diary shall be needed.
Potential speakers to address this topic?
Both Barbara Mikulski (D-Maryland) and Bill Nelson (D-Florida) are strong supporters of the space program. Perhaps they could send a staff person to address these issues. In addition, Lori Garver was an informal space policy adviser to John Kerry and has offered assistance to candidate Hillary Clinton.
This topic can also morph easily enough into a discussion of WHY we should have any human spaceflight program at all, since FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION is a basic rule of design. What types of rockets we build should very much depend upon what we wish to accomplish when we use those rockets.
(2) Spaceport America // X Prize Cup // New Space Venture
Kossack FerrisValyn has been running an excellent series of diaries bringing news of the "Space Revolution" happening outside of NASA's bailiwick. These diaries are an excellent source of information and links.
Such topics include Spaceport America, a public-private venture involving the State of New Mexico and something that Governor Bill Richardson is rather proud of. Perhaps the Governor could arrange for the appropriate staffers to come give us a briefing and answer questions as part of Netroots Nation spaceflight track.
There are TWO open X Prize Cup challenges. One is the original X Prize Cup Lunar Lander Challenge being held annually in New Mexico (see above) and the other is the Google Lunar X Prize.
Perhaps the next Administration should seek greater synergy with these private efforts in order to accomplish more within a given level of taxpayer funding.
FerrisValyn's diaries are a source for a great many other potential topics for discussion.
(3) Humans versus Robots for exploration
This is a continuing favorite "debate topic" for space themed panels. My diary yesterday included a poll question that received a significant number of votes for "robot only" exploration.
Perhaps we can identify strong advocates of the various positions from within the Netroots community and let them engage in a civil and moderated discussion of this topic.
Given the ongoing candidate diaries war, how could it be worse?
(4) The "need" for permanent settlement
Kossack Shadan7 made this comment in my diary yesterday:
We are, sooner or later, going to have to get at least some of our eggs off this rock one way or the other.
And if anyone is interested, that's a big part of my novel noted below, which is set in 2052.
Physicists Stephen Hawking and J. Richard Gott agree.
In January 2004 (and in the aftermath of the loss of the shuttle Columbia) there was a marvelous short piece in The Atlantic print edition. The quote is from a comment I made at the Space Politics blog in a discussion of "Manned versus unmanned" (sexist, it should be "human versus robot"):
This is from the Atlantic Monthly and was written January 1, 2004:
In the aftermath of the breakup of the space shuttle Columbia an important debate on the purpose and future of the U.S. human-space-flight program is under way, though perhaps not as forthrightly as it should be. The issue at stake is not space exploration in itself but the necessity of launching manned (versus robotic) vehicles. Because articles of faith are involved, the arguments tend to be manipulative and hyperbolic. If the debate is to be productive, that needs to change.
And here is the crux of William Langewiesche’s piece:
One thing for sure is that the American public is more sophisticated than the space community has given it credit for. In the event of a grounding the public might well be presented with a question now asked only of insiders not whether there are immediate benefits to be gleaned from a human presence in space but, more fundamentally, whether we are to be a two-planet species?
Should we (whether as a nation or as a species) aim at becoming spacefaring? A two planet or multi-planet species?
Whether this takes 50 years or 150 years or 250 years to accomplish, how we answer that question NOW greatly impacts what types of rockets we wish to build NOW and since the next President (presumably a Democrat) will have a tremendous amount of influence on the systems that shall replace the Shuttle, I assert this is something progressives need to talk about.
At least as one small part of a balanced diet of discussion.
(5) Additional topic as they occur to me or are suggested by others . . .
The above topics are merely my suggestions and others may have additional or better ideas. My goal now is to ascertain a level of interest and see who might be interested in helping organize such a track for Netroots Nation.
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