Author Topic: President Obama to Host Space Conference in Florida (April 15)  (Read 46257 times)

Offline neilh

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This was discussed a bit in a separate thread, but it seems worthy of a dedicated thread.

Obama plans space 'summit' in Florida in April:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/os-obama-nasa-space-summit,0,2635621.story
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100307/NEWS0204/3070319/Obama-to-talk-space-in-Florida-visit

As a side note on timing of legislation going through Congress, the Florida Today article has bit on that:

Quote
The timing of the conference is good because it will occur before a key Senate science subcommittee votes on NASA's budget in May, said Nelson, who heads the subcommittee.

(That would be a vote on the authorization bill.)


It's significant because this is the first time Obama will publically/personally address the new space policy, besides his mention of it during the Feb. 17 ISS phone call. The press release itself also seems significant, as it also includes the Moon as a destination, as well as the asteroids and Mars:

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=30358
Quote
President Obama to Host Space Conference in Florida in April (press release)

WASHINGTON - On April 15, President Barack Obama will visit Florida to host a White House Conference on the Administration's new vision for America's future in space, the White House today announced.

The President, along with top officials and other space leaders, will discuss the new course the Administration is charting for NASA and the future of U.S. leadership in human space flight. Specifically, the conference will focus on the goals and strategies in this new vision, the next steps, and the new technologies, new jobs, and new industries it will create. Conference topics will include the implications of the new strategy for Florida, the nation, and our ultimate activities in space.

Further logistical details will be announced as they become available.

After an independent review panel found that the previous program to return astronauts to the Moon was fundamentally un-executable, the President included an additional $6 billion for NASA in his FY2011 budget over the next five years. This funding will help us achieve our boldest aspirations in space. The President's ambitious new strategy pushes the frontiers of innovation to set NASA on a more dynamic, flexible, and sustainable trajectory that can propel us on a new journey of innovation and discovery.

The President and the NASA Administrator both believe that we have to be forward thinking and aggressive in our pursuit of new technologies to take us beyond low-Earth orbit. The President's plan does this.

A foundational element of this new strategy is to invest in the development of a targeted set of inter-related technologies and capabilities that can help us travel from the Earth's cradle to our nearby Solar System neighborhood in a more effective and affordable way, thus laying the foundation to support journeys to the Moon, asteroids, and eventually to Mars.

After years of underinvestment in new technology and unrealistic budgeting, the President's plan will unveil an ambitious plan for NASA that sets the agency on a reinvigorated path of space exploration.
« Last Edit: 03/07/2010 07:03 pm by Andy USA »
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Offline Ben the Space Brit

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It should be interesting to see how hard the President defends his plan.  If he really believes in his plan, then he'll be hard to move on it.  If he comes looking for a compromise then he never really cared about it one way or the other.  Call me a cynic, but I think he will look for a compromise to get the dead racoon out of his back yard.

What he wants is:

1) Quick progress;

2) Some visible achievement (and thus 'inspiration');

2) Strict budgetary control.

For that reason, orthodox Project Constellation is dead.  Too expensive, too slow and clearly failing the 'inspiration' test for the majority.

However, shuttle extension might make a come-back.  I think that using Orion (which was one of the few bits of Constellation making solid progress) as a ISS crew rotation/lifeboat vehicle might also feature (although launched on an EELV rather than Ares-I).

The most sensible option, a one- to two-year shuttle extension and the immediate start on a directly shuttle-derived launcher for Orion, isn't likely to happen.  It is expensive in its own right and might raise demands for expensive beyond-Earth orbit exploration earlier than Obama seems willing to allow (given the current plan calls for it to happen 2020-2030).  It also suffers from being a sensible, conservative proposal and I don't know any politician who would want such a thing.
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Offline robertross

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I too am anxious to hear how he's going to spin this. I still believe this was done as part of a grander scheme, more specifically towards congressional support. He has documents in hand from the A-Com indicating the PoR was seriously flawed, but he has also received the backlash from certain members of congress.

Bottom line: He has a shaky start to his first term and he needs to start winning big. Health care might just get through by a hair, which I believe was his sole effort of late (aside from the all-encompassing economic disaster), and he is looking to reign in his image. Not a good job so far in this respect (space) so he needs to nail it down with hard facts.

I don't know if he would bring out the Ares-I card, as it would put a black eye on NASA, which doesn't bode well for his position, though he could claim previous administration/administrator woes. I don't think people would buy that, especially since the budget came before any such announcement.

Obama definitely needs a strategic goal, and strategic plan, and a congress to fight for the aspects they want 'on top of' his own path for America's space program.

Offline Eric Hedman

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He let the message get out of his control.  What a surprise this happened when you announce a plan that is "better" with minimal to no details.  This is as much damage control as anything else.  I am curious to find out what kind of goals, time lines, and details they manage to come up with in time for the summit.  I will be even more curious to find out if they actually talk with the key members of congress before then or if they just release another surprise on them.

Offline DavisSTS

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Will the president do the typical American style speech where they organise a cross section of ethic and age behind him, all clapping and cheering like idiot robots? Don't be surprised if he thinks he can do a JFK style speech on exactly the same plan everyone already hates.

Doesn't sound like he's budging his position one bit, but his hawk advisors are problably telling him everyone loves the plan.

Offline psloss

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Doesn't sound like he's budging his position one bit, but his hawk advisors are problably telling him everyone loves the plan.
It's hard for his staff to do that when there's things like the letter from the Florida Congressional Delegation in the public.  (Doesn't mean they'll change their position.)  Guess we'll have to wait to see how confrontational this is.  I wonder if it's going to be like the health care summit, because I'm not sure the reconciliation maneuver is 'on the table' for this.

(I'll also be curious how much non-space media attention this draws and how the story is reported there.)
« Last Edit: 03/07/2010 08:09 pm by psloss »

Offline kraisee

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Obama's team is expecting to find their competition disorganized, without a unified plan, all pulling in different directions.

If Congress/Industry haven't gotten their sh*t together by April 15th, it will be easy for Obama's team to whittle away the support for any alternatives.   In that environment Obama's team can capitalize from this summit -- and that is their plan.

But if Congress and Industry can all agree to a single unified approach (say, Orion IOC 2013, Jupiter-130 IOC 2013, Short STS Extension to 2013 plus R&D and CCDev) then Obama's team will be facing a solid wall of support, and they won't have the arguing power to face it down.

It is now all down to Congress and Industry sorting out all of their few and minor differences behind closed doors before April 15th so that they can "close ranks" effectively with one single determined message at this meeting.

Divided we fall.   United we stand.

Ross.
« Last Edit: 03/07/2010 08:06 pm by kraisee »
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Offline Ben the Space Brit

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Will the president do the typical American style speech where they organise a cross section of ethic and age behind him, all clapping and cheering like inaccurate robots? Don't be surprised if he thinks he can do a JFK style speech on exactly the same plan everyone already hates.

Plus the Apollo astronauts all lined up behind him like the good soldiers, sailors and airmen that they are.  That is a necessity for a major space policy speech.

Gods... I really am becoming a cynic!
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The time for words has passed; The time has come to put up or shut up!
DON'T PROPAGANDISE, FLY!!!

Offline psloss

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Gods... I really am becoming a cynic!
Come to the Dark Side... ;D

Offline neilh

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I have a suspicion that it will be thematically similar to his "Necessity of Science" speech from April 2009:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/04/27/The-Necessity-of-Science/
Quote
At such a difficult moment, there are those who say we cannot afford to invest in science, that support for research is somehow a luxury at moments defined by necessities.  I fundamentally disagree.  Science is more essential for our prosperity, our security, our health, our environment, and our quality of life than it has ever been before.

... We know that our country is better than this.  A half century ago, this nation made a commitment to lead the world in scientific and technological innovation; to invest in education, in research, in engineering; to set a goal of reaching space and engaging every citizen in that historic mission.  That was the high water mark of America's investment in research and development.  And since then our investments have steadily declined as a share of our national income.  As a result, other countries are now beginning to pull ahead in the pursuit of this generation's great discoveries. 

I believe it is not in our character, the American character, to follow.  It's our character to lead.  And it is time for us to lead once again.  So I'm here today to set this goal:  We will devote more than 3 percent of our GDP to research and development.  We will not just meet, but we will exceed the level achieved at the height of the space race, through policies that invest in basic and applied research, create new incentives for private innovation, promote breakthroughs in energy and medicine, and improve education in math and science. ... This work begins with a historic commitment to basic science and applied research, from the labs of renowned universities to the proving grounds of innovative companies.
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Offline robertross

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Gods... I really am becoming a cynic!
Come to the Dark Side... ;D


LOL...nice.
Considering what we have going on, how can one not become one?

Ah well, with a little bit of luck we might just have a space program at the end of it all...

Offline psloss

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Offline zerm

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I expect Obama to dig in his heels and defend his budget to the letter while attempting to vilify anyone who disagrees with him- it's his SOP.

Offline rjholling

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I expect Obama to dig in his heels and defend his budget to the letter while attempting to vilify anyone who disagrees with him- it's his SOP.
You mean every politician's SOP.  My guess is he will announce that our next destination will be Mars with a goal to get there by 2025 to 2030.  This is far enough in the future to be absolutely meaningless so it will work for him.  He can say that he gave America a vision for space without actually having to take steps to fund it.  It will also allow the OMB to cut the budget more easily later because after the Shuttle goes so does pretty much all public interest in NASA.  Meanwhile it shifts funds away from the heavily conservative South and to more competitive states like Ohio which should help him out in 2012.  Thus if President Obama has his way America's space program will end not with a bang but a whimper.

Offline brihath

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I don't understand the necessity of this conference.  The budget and strategic direction was already laid out.  Is Obama seeking input or just a forum to defend the direction he has already decided to take?

This sounds (and smells) a lot like the conference he just held on health care, where he spent a lot of time pontificating and shooting down the ideas and opinions of the Rebublican minority.

When it was all said and done, he pretty much said "Either you are with me or against me, and we'll roll over you if you can't come around to our terms".

I don't have much faith in this conference.
« Last Edit: 03/07/2010 10:00 pm by brihath »

Offline kraisee

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Personally, I would like to see the 7,800 people who are in the direct firing line (everyone working Shuttle or CxP) at KSC, all take the day off and use this conference as an opportunity to protest to the President outside the conference site.

Ross.
"The meek shall inherit the Earth -- the rest of us will go to the stars"
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Offline William Barton

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I expect Obama to dig in his heels and defend his budget to the letter while attempting to vilify anyone who disagrees with him- it's his SOP.
You mean every politician's SOP.  My guess is he will announce that our next destination will be Mars with a goal to get there by 2025 to 2030.  This is far enough in the future to be absolutely meaningless so it will work for him.  He can say that he gave America a vision for space without actually having to take steps to fund it.  It will also allow the OMB to cut the budget more easily later because after the Shuttle goes so does pretty much all public interest in NASA.  Meanwhile it shifts funds away from the heavily conservative South and to more competitive states like Ohio which should help him out in 2012.  Thus if President Obama has his way America's space program will end not with a bang but a whimper.

In other words, he'll continue the policiy of his immediate predecessor: kick the can down the road and pretend it means something. "VSE! Moon! Mars! Beyond! Er... no money... yeah, well... Oh, look! A terrorist!"

Offline telomerase99

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Maybe they won't Ross, becuase maybe some of those people got into the space business becuase they are passionate about human space flight and would rather see the industry diversify to facilitate a greater presence in orbit. For the past 50 years only 500 people have gotten to orbit.

You want to shut down progress so that a handful of people won't have to move or look for a job in a tough market?

What happened to your passion?

Offline kkattula

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Oh no, another 5 weeks of this limbo?

This is dragging out unbelievably.

« Last Edit: 03/07/2010 10:24 pm by kkattula »

Offline robertross

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Oh no, another 5 weeks of this limbo?

This is dragging out more than unbelievably.

This will drag on for months regardless due to the budget process BECAUSE of the budget that has been presented. If the budget AND the plan/goal had been straight forward enough, it wouldn't be so contraversal.

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