Some folks, mainly those with a financial interest in NASA's program to develop new manned spacecraft, are in a tizzy because the president's budget eliminates NASA's Constellation program, designed to return humans to the moon. Instead, Obama is funding new research and development and asking the private sector to handle the task of manned spaceflight. Even as he does this, Obama is increasing overall funding to the agency -- while he promotes a non-security discretionary spending freeze amid a recession! But this isn't enough for former astronaut and Republican Sen. Harrison Schmitt, who had this to say:It's bad for the country. This administration really does not believe in American exceptionalism.
Boy, that's harsh! It should be noted that since we already went to the moon, it's not that exceptional a destination. It should also be noted that Harrison is a crank global warming denier, but maybe he's the best source Post writer Joel Achenbach could find. I guess Sally Ride and Leroy Chiao, both former astronauts and members of the expert commission who investigated the program and recommended its cancellation, weren't available for comment. I suppose Harrison's insane rambling, lacking any kind of argument, helps inform readers more than what they might have said. (The head of the commission did tell Achenbach the rocket wouldn't have a useful role.)
Though I'm not an expert on space flight (I'll trust the commission), it does seem like NASA has lost direction in recent years, so perhaps refocusing on a new goal is best before continuing to dump money into a program that's over-budget and behind schedule. And while my liberal bones cry out for a huge government program to send Americans to Mars and jump-start decades of scientific innovation, pragmatism suggests that letting private companies develop space flight while the government agency focuses on earthbound development isn't the worst idea until the economy gets on its feet.
It's important for Obama and other politicos to remember that Harrison was a one-term senator. In 1982, he was defeated by the current incumbent, Sen. Jeff Bingaman, whose slogan was "What on Earth has he done for you lately?" That's certainly the same attitude voters are going to have this year and in 2012.
-- Tim Fernholz
