I am starting a short mini-series of blog entries, talking about the White House's Review of Human Space Flight Plans Committee. The point of this mini-series is to advocate action for a specific plan going forward, for NASA and US human spaceflight policy. The main issues I plan to address in this series of diaries is
1. We, (Democrats/liberals/progressives) should embrace human space development.
2. We should embrace space commercialization, particularly as it relates to all earth to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) transportation.
3. We should reject any and all plans that continue to utilize the Space Shuttle, its assets, its workforce, or any derivatives there of.
At the end of this, I hope to have you convinced to pursue action, in multiple forms.
But before I get into the details to convince you, I need to give you the background, so you know what President Obama is considering.
Last month, Senators John D. Rockefeller and Frank Lautenberg introduced a bill that would establish performance-based goals for our surface transportation system. The bill would, according to Senator Lautenberg, "establish a national policy that improves safety, reduces congestion, creates jobs, and protects our environment."
Among these goals is to reduce the amount Americans drive, or more specifically, to "reduce national per capita motor vehicle miles traveled on an annual basis." Basically, Americans should be driving less-fewer trips over shorter distances. This has as much to do with the way we use our land as it does with transportation policy. Where we choose to live and work and get the groceries largely determines how much we drive. We are driving longer distances to work and to complete all the other little errands that populate our days.
However, Gabriel Roth argues in a Wall Street Journalop-ed that reducing the amount we drive should not be a policy goal of the federal government.
Reducing the total miles traveled-whether the length or number of trips-means people would have to reduce the activities they want and need to do. People would be "coerced," in effect, to live in less desirable places or work in less desirable jobs; shop in fewer and closer stores; see their doctor less frequently; visit fewer family members and friends.
Roth's claim of coercion is absurd. Americans have already chosen to drive less. VMT per person leveled off some time around 2001 and began dropping around 2005. At the same time, public transit ridership has increased dramatically as cities build or expand rail systems and build higher-density, mixed-use developments.
Other claims, such as the assertion that reducing VMT will drive down economic growth, are equally absurd. Just look at driving trends. The reduction in VMT per capita began when the country was experiencing quite rapid economic growth.
On the other hand, there are many good reasons why we should, as a nation, be driving fewer trips over shorter distances.
A massacre of indigenous protesters in Peru last weekend has resulted in the temporary roll-back of development laws that were passed without proper consultation under international law. They were part of a package of laws issued to comply with a free trade agreement with the US. This is just the tip of the iceberg of the overseas impacts of free trade laws that we routinely hear nothing about.
Peaceful protesters were attacked by police, who killed at least 22 of them, according to their latest count--police claimed just nine. Twenty-three police were killed in return. Democracy Now!reported on the massacre on Tuesday (excerpts on the flip), and Al Jazeera filed this report:
More about the massacre itself, and the legislative response on the flip.
There has been extensive speculation about the direction that President Obama will take space policy. A lot of it has been centered around who he might appoint as NASA administrator.
But there might be another hint coming, and from another direction - FAA administrator. Particularly if he appoints Robert (Bob) Herbert as head of the FAA.
The Case for Becoming a Spacefaring Society:
Proposals for an Integrated US Space Policy by Jonathan Goff and Ferris Valyn
Throughout history, mankind has learned to master the environments around itself-developing new technologies to harness the elements to better our lives, improve our health and wellbeing, protect ourselves from others, and learn more about our position in the universe. In the past, mastering new environments, such as the developing of seafaring or aeronautics, has lead directly to substantial benefits for those nations which have chosen to take the lead.
While we have started to explore the next great environment-outer space and the planetary bodies of our solar system-such exploration by itself will not lead to a spacefaring society. The development of a truly spacefaring society-one that can master and tame this new environment, and harness its resources-is a more compelling vision than exploration alone, one that holds the potential for far greater benefits to our nation.
We strongly urge the new administration to make the development of a spacefaring society the focus of our nation's space policy.
Yesterday, Dr. Peter Diamandis, the man behind the X Prize, posted an essay over at huffingtonpost, entitled Re-establishing NASA's Leadership. In it, he offers a list of 7 ways to help reform NASA, so that it can better lead in the pursuit of space development.
Here is the list
1. Engage the Private Community
2. Use Risk as a Tool
3. Attract and Retain the Best Workers
4. Help America Benefit from the Global Space Community
5. Take the Lead Where Only NASA Can
6. Leverage Incentive Prizes
7. Inspire the Nation, and the World
Join me over the fold, to read my thoughts on his comments.
Space policy made a pretty decent splash at Netroots Nation. We had an excellent panel on space policy, and an excellent platform meeting. For those of you who don't remember, we had Andrew Hoppin moderating, and Chris Bowers, Lori Garver, Patricia Grace Smith, and George Whitesides all speaking. You can about the panelists here.
I figured now would be a good time to remind everyone (again) about some upcoming space events, that would be worth going to. We have a couple of major events this week, as well as future events upcoming. I promise reports to any and all I attend, and I suggest that you attend as well
However, today I want to talk about something that, Senator Obama can do, which doesn't require massive new spending, but would show an openness to the idea of manned spaceflight, and would fit well within his comments and concerns about having a coherent space policy. Senator Obama, please bring back the National Space Council.
To raise some issues seen by space activists, I have decided to open up my diary to fellow space enthusiasts who do not have a dailykos account. This is the first, in what will hopefully be a series of diaries, from various people.
Phil Smith is a member of the Space Policy Advisory Group. Right now, he is working with NASA to develop a Space Futures Working Group whose immediate function will be to present space policy papers to the presidential transition team from November to January (which hopefully will be Senator Obama).
He originally posted this over at his my.barackobama.com blog. These are his views, not mine, although there are a number of points I do agree with. It has been re-posted with his express permission. So join me over the fold to read his excellent piece.
This week, Governor Bill Richardson endorsed Senator Barack Obama. Governor Richardson was clearly inspired by Obama's speech. Now, the question is, will he be able to provide counsel to Senator Obama (and to an Obama administration, should that happen). And in particular, my hope is that Richardson will be able to provide counsel to Senator Obama on the issue of space policy. Please join me over the fold
It is clear, through your statements, that you have questions about what role human spaceflight can and does play on our society. You have said that you want to have a full evaluation, and have a clear understanding about how and where we can have the most impact in our spending on space.
Part of the problem is how we've interacted with space, and how we view it. For a long time, space has been viewed as being beyond the reach of the average person, and that it can only provide us more scientific knowledge.
However, there is growing evidence that this is about to change, and that properly harnessed, space can have an incredibly positive effect on society - it can help with our economy, and it can help provide us with clean, cheap energy.
It is for this reason I have written these essays - so you can understand how human spaceflight can have a beneficial impact on society, why the time is now that it can have such a beneficial impact, and how best to capitalize on this.
In this first essay, I talk about the economy, and orbital space businesses.
It is clear, through your statements, that you have questions about what role human spaceflight can and does play on our society. You have said that you want to have a full evaluation, and have a clear understanding about how and where we can have the most impact in our spending on space.
Part of the problem is how we've interacted with space, and how we view it. For a long time, space has been viewed as being beyond the reach of the average person, and that it can only provide us more scientific knowledge.
However, there is growing evidence that this is about to change, and that properly harnessed, space can have an incredibly positive effect on society - it can help with our economy, and it can help provide us with clean, cheap energy.
It is for this reason I have written these essays - so you can understand how human spaceflight can have a beneficial impact on society, why the time is now that it can have such a beneficial impact, and how best to capitalize on this.
In this second essay, I talk about the economy, and suborbital space businesses.
It is clear, through your statements, that you have questions about what role human spaceflight can and does play on our society. You have said that you want to have a full evaluation, and have a clear understanding about how and where we can have the most impact in our spending on space.
Part of the problem is how we've interacted with space, and how we view it. For a long time, space has been viewed as being beyond the reach of the average person, and that it can only provide us more scientific knowledge.
However, there is growing evidence that this is about to change, and that properly harnessed, space can have an incredibly positive effect on society - it can help with our economy, and it can help provide us with clean, cheap energy.
It is for this reason I have written these essays - so you can understand how human spaceflight can have a beneficial impact on society, why the time is now that it can have such a beneficial impact, and how best to capitalize on this.
In this first essay, I talk about the economy, and what I call atmospheric space businesses.
Thank you for engaging the American people directly on the issue of building a better Internet future for us. We should expect all of our elected representatives to be willing to enjoy such a frank and honest expression of ideas, and the fact that this is exceptional says something both about the state of the American political scene, and you personally--the latter being a worthy compliment indeed.
So, without further ado, here are my basic principles for improving America's Internet.
