Here are the numbers for NASA and other R&D agencies if the budget sequestration process is implemented:
Category Archives: Space Policy
NASA budget/authorization + Wayne White and space law
A couple of space policy and budget items:
- NASA reauthorization not likely to make major policy changes – Space Politics
- Sequestration for the Perplexed and Minor Corrections – Future Planetary Exploration – Feb.5.13
===
Moonandback has posted videos of an interview with space advocate and lawyer Wayne White. In part one he “talks about the new area of space law and space policy; how he is involved in writing a set of statutes to serve the promotion of commercial activity and facilitation of human settlement, to specify real property and mining rights and the authority of private operators in outer space; and goes into detail regarding how salvage law might work”: Wayne White – Space Law and Policy – Moonandback
In part two he “goes into specifics on how salvage could work, discusses the philosophy behind real property rights in space and dissects the U.S. relationship with international space treaties.” : Wayne White – Salvage, Property Rights and Treaties -Moonandback
Video: “New Visions for Space”
Here is a video of the “New Visions for Space” Google hangout event (see earlier post) held earlier this week on Feb. 6th. The goal was to
feature young voices from NASA Academy, Yuri’s Night, AIAA Young Professionals Committee, The Moon Society and others to talk about how exciting all of the new developments in space are, and how all of us are making a real difference in our space future.
Participants included:
The BIL Conference – Carter Gibson (Moderator)
The Moon Society – Ken Murphy (Organizer)
Liftport – Michael Laine (Co-Organizer)
Yuri’s Night – Brice Russ
Starstryder – Pamela Gay
SEDS – Michael Zwach
NASA Academy – Will Pomerantz
ISU-USA – Laura Burns
AIAA YPC – Alison Lauderbach
Dennis Wingo: Expanding a vision of space beyond NASA
Dennis Wingo recently posted an essay about the need for a space policy that went beyond the usual Space polic =NASA policy paradigm: Space Abhors a Policy Vacuum: The NRC Report and The Need for a Broad National Space Policy – Moonandback.
In this follow-up, he emphasizes the need to make commercial development of the resources of space to the benefit of the nation’s economy the top priority of the national space policy: Space Abhors a Policy Vacuum: An Expanded Strategic Vision For the Nation, Not Just NASA | Developing a Consensus – Part II – Moonandback
Dennis Wingo: Space policy must span more than just NASA
Dennis Wingo argues against equating NASA policy with space policy: Space Abhors a Policy Vacuum; The NRC Report and The Need for a Broad National Space Policy – denniswingo
Referring back to the mandate of the NRC committee, its mandate was to establish how this national consensus and strategy might be established and communicated. In their recommendation that a space policy be developed there is a continuing flaw in the philosophical underpinning that equates space with NASA and the development of a strategic direction as sole the province of the government as it relates to the civilian space agency. Here is what the report says in this area….
…….If the United States is to continue to maintain international leadership in space, it must have a steady, bold, scientifically justifiable space program in which other countries want to participate, and, moreover, it must behave as a reliable partner.
The above sentence in its implication says that a scientifically justifiable space program is the only means to continue its international leadership in space. This has been the underpinning of all NASA related strategic thinking for the past thirty years but is it still tenable, is it still complete to say so? It is my opinion that the answer is no and indeed it has never truly been the case and to think of space through this narrow lens is actually the reason that we have been unable to come to any kind of national consensus on space. The key word in their mandate is national consensus, not just a presidential fiat or even a consensus between the congress and the president. If we are to move forward toward a national consensus we must look beyond the scientific justifications for a space program and look at the broader aspects of national interest to underpin our reasoning.