OPEN LETTER TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE... April 13, 2010
The United States entered into the challenge of space exploration
under President Eisenhower’s first term, however, it was the Soviet
Union who excelled in those early years. Under the bold vision of
Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon, and with the overwhelming
approval of the American people, we rapidly closed the gap in the
final third; of the 20th century, and became the world leader in
space exploration.
America’s space accomplishments earned the respect and admiration of
the world. Science probes were unlocking the secrets of the cosmos;
space technology was providing instantaneous world wide
communication; orbital sentinels were helping man understand the
vagaries of nature. Above all else, the people around the world were
inspired by the human exploration of space and the expanding of
man’s frontier. It suggested that what had been thought to be
impossible was now within reach. Students were inspired to prepare
themselves to be a part of this new age. No government program in
modern history has been so effective in motivating the young to do
“what has never been done before.”
World leadership in space was not achieved easily. In the first half
century of the space age, our country made a significant financial
investment, thousands of Americans dedicated themselves to the
effort, and some gave their lives to achieve the dream of a nation.
In the latter part of the first half century of the space age,
Americans and their international partners focused primarily on
exploiting the near frontiers of space with the Space Shuttle and
the International Space Station.
As a result of the tragic loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia in
2003, it was concluded that our space policy required a new
strategic vision. Extensive studies and analysis led to this new
mandate: meet our existing commitments, return to our exploration
roots, return to the moon, and prepare to venture further outward to
the asteroids and to Mars. The program was named 'Constellation'. In
the ensuing years, this plan was endorsed by two Presidents of
different parties and approved by both Democratic and Republican
congresses.
The Columbia Accident Board had given NASA a number of
recommendations fundamental to the Constellation architecture which
were duly incorporated. The Ares rocket family was patterned after
the Von Braun Modular concept so essential to the success of the
Saturn 1B and the Saturn 5. A number of components in the Ares 1
rocket would become the foundation of the very large heavy lift Ares
V, thus reducing the total development costs substantially. After
the Ares 1 becomes operational, the only major new components
necessary for the Ares V would be the larger propellant tanks to
support the heavy lift requirements.
The design and the production of the flight components and
infrastructure to implement this vision was well underway. Detailed
planning of all the major sectors of the program had begun.
Enthusiasm within NASA and throughout the country was very high.
When President Obama recently released his budget for NASA, he
proposed a slight increase in total funding, substantial research
and technology development, an extension of the International Space
Station operation until 2020, long range planning for a new but
undefined heavy lift rocket and significant funding for the
development of commercial access to low earth orbit.
Although some of these proposals have merit, the accompanying
decision to cancel the Constellation program, its Ares 1 and Ares V
rockets, and the Orion spacecraft, is devastating.
America’s only path to low Earth orbit and the International Space
Station will now be subject to an agreement with Russia to purchase
space on their Soyuz (at a price of over 50 million dollars per seat
with significant increases expected in the near future) until we
have the capacity to provide transportation for ourselves. The
availability of a commercial transport to orbit as envisioned in the
President’s proposal cannot be predicted with any certainty, but is
likely to take substantially longer and be more expensive than we
would hope.
It appears that we will have wasted our current ten plus billion
dollar investment in Constellation and, equally importantly., we
will have lost the many years required to recreate the equivalent of
what we will have discarded.
For The United States, the leading space faring nation for nearly
half a century, to be without carriage to low Earth orbit and with
no human exploration capability to go beyond Earth orbit for an
indeterminate time into the future, destines our nation to become
one of second or even third rate stature. While the President's plan
envisages humans traveling away from Earth and perhaps toward Mars
at some time in the future, the lack of developed rockets and
spacecraft will assure that ability will not be available for many
years.
Without the skill and experience that actual spacecraft operation
provides, the USA is far too likely to be on a long downhill slide
to mediocrity. America must decide if it wishes to remain a leader
in space. If it does, we should institute a program which will give
us the very best chance of achieving that goal.
Neil Armstrong
Commander, Apollo 11
James Lovell
Commander, Apollo 13
Eugene Cernan
Commander, Apollo 17 |