Less Money for Commercial Space Development

Orion capsule drop-tests into water.

Editorial Comment
by Mark Daymont
Space Center Educator

Once again, Congress cuts the wrong budget.

No doubt most readers are aware of the difficult economic times. Job losses are at an agonizing high level, and businesses are so worried about the current and future impact of business-strangling government regulations that they won't invest in hiring or new products. For space enthusiasts, we agonize over the poor planning of the White House over the retirement of the Space Shuttle and the lack of an American manned spacecraft. We go hat-in-hand to the Russians, who promptly raised the price of a seat on their venerable Soyuz spaceship, now the only path to carry humans to the International Space Station.

Soyuz spaceship approaches the ISS.

Supporters of the space program have known for a long time that one of the best investments of American tax dollars has been NASA. The spin-off technology derived from human and robotic space exploration has transformed the world over the last 50 years. Private businesses developing new products from this technology have produced millions, if not billions, of jobs worldwide and especially here in America. So it should be a no-brainer to our leaders in Washington as to which budget to keep, and if possible, expand. Apparently Not.

For several years NASA has been budgeting money to invest in companies who are also investing their own money in creating the first man-rated commercial-(as opposed to NASA-) made spaceships to reach low orbit and the ISS. The poor planning of the Bush and Obama administrations has resulted in a gap of time where America does not lead the world in manned spaceflight. This is unacceptable to the pride of our country.

This year, NASA had planned to invest $850 million spread amongst four companies in an effort to advance the development of new human-rated spaceships, aimed at getting a new system by 2015 or 2016. At the same time, NASA has been ordered by Congress to revive the Obama-cancelled Orion capsule design, even though a rocket has not yet been designed for it (Ares-1 was also cancelled, but not revived).

Although Congress praised the efforts of the commercial companies and urged them to hurry, Congress has instead cut the budget. NASA will receive only a budget $1 billion less than it needs, and in fact is $648 million smaller than last year. Therefore, NASA has announced it will only have $406 million to share amongst the competitors. The result is that the programs will be slowed down, and we will have to wait even longer to close the human spaceflight gap.

SpaceX's Dragon supply capsule will reach ISS in February 2012.

The worst part of this frustration is the waste of money by the Obama administration. WHile screaming in front of the cameras about the importance of creating jobs and investing in technologies for tomorrow, they have spent billions of dollars on failing solar-power companies which are now going into bankruptcy. The failed Solyndra company alone received over $500 million dollars, all sucked down a hole of a collapsing company. What's offensive to me, and anyone following this scandal, is that it is known that the White House knew the companies were failing and STILL SPENT THE MONEY.

Imagine what that wasted money could have done if instead invested in the companies that are attempting to build new rockets and capsules for astronauts to get to low orbit. Imagine how much shorter the spacecraft gap would be if the companies had the funds and support necessary to speed development. Imagine the jobs created as these companies ramp up production and sell seats to space. Well, it's gonna take longer now.

Funny thing, though. NASA has not cut the budget for the continued development of its own Orion capsule. Of course, Orion doesn't yet even have a rocket to get up into space. Things that make you go hmmmmm.

A Welcome Back to the Space Center's University Student Staff and Volunteers.

And from their dark lairs they emerge. Emily, Brittney, Nicole, Mason, Christine, Alex, Brent, Spenser, Bracken, Julia Anna and Stacy (and that one I'm bound to forget).

One by one they creep toward the light of day. Some, nearly blinded by months robbed of sunlight, stumble to and fro toward the smell of Autumn and the sounds of holiday cheer.

Just as Springtime comes with the release of Persephone, so comes holiday cheer to families worldwide when the Woeful Gods of Academia begrudgingly set their captives free. This short respite in the world of the living reminds these tormented souls that life waits for those who master the art of leaping through the hoops which form the barrier between worlds.

Divert thy gaze as they ascend, for their unnatural appearance rivals Medusa's.
Wait a short while before that loving embrace. Let the Sun and Autumn's crisp air displace the prison pallor and bring color to their skin and form to their faces.

Then embrace and keep them near, for their time is like a winter's day, gone all too soon. Academia will again sound its horn, and heed the call they must. Back into the dark and across the Styx, to roam the musty fields and marshes in a quest for life's meaning.

Hello Troops,
The Space Center's university students are happy their semester is over and finals put to bed. They get to experience the joy that comes from filling in the last multiple choice answer on their last final exam and walking away from the testing center to find the world a much happier place.


They may claim they are not just "Another Brick in the Wall" but they are. Let them not deceive themselves. They are a very small cog in the great machine of post high school education. They have been poked and prodded and grilled and flayed and then spat out for a fortnight, only to return to start the process all over again.

But, for a brief moment, let them leave their campuses with heads held high thinking they have 'stuck' it to the Man. They've earned their moment of Victory! They've earned the right to Be A Boss!


Welcome back to the real world! Enjoy your holiday vacations.

Mr. W.

50 Years Ago Today: Titan 1 Test Series Concluded

Titan 1A at launch.

Fifty Years ago the Air Force concluded its series of launches of the Titan 1 rocket from the Atlantic Test Range at Cape Canaveral. There had been 40 launches, out of which 4 had been failures. The Titan 1 was an important development in the design of multi-stage InterContinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) for America's strategic rocket forces. The launches had taken place from launch complexes LC15, LC16, LC19, and LC20.

Titan-1 had a range of 5500 miles. As an ICBM, it could carry a nuclear weapon of 3.75 megatons of TNT. It became operational in our Strategic Missile Defense System in 1962 and was active until 1964. It was the first of our ICBMs to be launched from underground silos hidden in the western USA. There were difficulties with the first silo designs, needing an elevator to lift the rocket for launch, too long a time for fueling, and the command necessity of grouping them in threes, possibly making them vulnerable to a nuclear attack. During deployment, there were about 60 missiles available for launch at any given time. In 1965, as the new Titan 2 and Minuteman 1 missiles came on line, the Titan 1's were retired.

For NASA, the tests enabled engineers to prepare for the successful Titan 2 missiles, which would be used to launch astronauts later in the Gemini series.

There were 33 Titan 1s given to museums, Air Force bases, and government installations as memorials. You can see one at the Cape Canaveral US Air Force Museum in Florida, on one of the bus tours that you can board from the Kennedy Space Center. Sorry, I didn't get a picture of it when I was there earlier this year.

Posted by Mark Daymont