Report slams Bush space vision


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President Bush's vision for human space exploration is doomed to fail without a major injection of funding and changes in space policy, according to a report.

The paper, by two influential experts, says current US space policy "presents a paradoxical picture of high ambition and diminishing commitment".

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Nasa wants to send humans back to the Moon and on to Mars

The report identifies what it says are four key failures of national policy that hinder future success in space.

But others have drawn attention to the authors' past democrat associations.

The paper was written by George Abbey, director of the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, from 1995-2001, and Dr Neal Lane, White House science adviser under President Bill Clinton from 1998-2001.

Steps for improvement

It has been released by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and is based on workshops with space companies, international agencies and scientists.

The four failures of national policy projected to hit future space successes that were highlighted by the paper were:

Inadequate planning for Nasa's future

Erosion of international co-operation in space

Congressional restrictions on the export of space technology that hinder sales to other countries and hamper information sharing across borders

A projected shortfall in the future US science and engineering workforce, made worse by visa restrictions on foreign students

Dr Neal and Mr Abbey said they were hopeful about Nasa's new administrator, Mike Griffin, who has a scientific background and has already begun to change the agency's much-criticised management culture.

A Republican staff member of the House of Representatives told the New York Times that it was unclear whether the critique would have much impact in Washington.

He said the American Academy of Arts and Sciences did not have a high profile in the capital. The staff member added that, while respected, Dr Lane and Mr Abbey "have some baggage" as former officials in a Democratic administration.

But John Steinbruner, director of the Center for International and Security Studies in College Park, Maryland, said the report would have an impact because of the high-profile authors.

A Nasa spokesman said the agency could not comment on the report because officials had not seen it.

President Bush's vision, outlined in January 2004, has included a major shift in emphasis towards human exploration, with the intention of returning astronauts to the Moon and, possibly, taking them on to Mars.

Both authors of the paper now work for the James A Baker III Institute for Public Policy in Texas.

source

Bush's space plan gets senate panel votes

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China's catching up, (Slowly at least), but they're improving. Europe and Japan are the main competition (If there's any competition left after the Cold War). Im not so sure about Russia, not much news from them. They should at least compete to get flags onto Mars... It will take years though...

I thought research from Space will benefit human health in some ways. Cyrogenics is a major step to longer journey's in space and revival methods thereof can help cold heart surgery. Also research involved in conserving oxygen, new fuel sources, new energy conservation techniques, the list goes on. Not to mention the advancements in aviation.

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If Bush wants to go to the moon so badly, I say send him there.

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It says he wants to send astronauts to the moon. Not he wants to go to the moon.

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It says he wants to send astronauts to the moon.  Not he wants to go to the moon.

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Sarcasm! But seriously, I think Bush would make a fine president of the Moon. At least we could send him there long enough for us to clean up the mess he's made here.

Just be prepared for him to invade Earth in 100 years or so, al la The Sirens of Titan.

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