LIVE: Congressional Hearings into Obama's NASA Budget FY2011 - Feb 24-25 Part 2

[Chris Bergin]

Sen Nelson introducing the second panel.

[nooneofconsequence]

Getting beyond the "just jobs program" and "pretend moon' mentalities here.

He forced the situation that we don't have what it takes for Mars yet.

He's right.

Go Bolden!

[yg1968]

1 - I think Bolden is a terrible communicator.
2 - Lori Garver probably did write the budget.
3 - The Augustine commission was apparently just a stalling tactic so the Democrats could cancel CXP.
4 - I'm dismayed by his statement that he doesn't need a heavy lift launch vehicle.

I thought Bolden did a very good job. He had a tough message to deliver and did a good delivering it despite being grilled by a number of Senators.

Bolden said that the didn't heavy lift for testing propellant depots. He didn't say that he didn't need heavy lift.

[northanger]

Nelson introducing panel.

[Chris Bergin]

Hoot on first.

[clb22]

His suggestion HSF was being terminated made it clear to me he has no idea what he's talking about. 

I LOLed at that. For Vitter, the ISS isn't HSF...

Now to the panel - Mr. Gibson first to address the committee. Asked to talk about Cx cancellation and reliance on commerical spacecraft, testing "Rocket X" and safety.

[northanger]

Robert Lee "Hoot" Gibson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_L._Gibson

[Halidon]

Super impressed with Senator Vitter so far. Senator Nelson's always a good communicator, but Vitter has fight.

Would that he had fought for constellation's budget from the beginning.

[Bill White]

No matter where you are on this issue, Vitter is asking the hard questions the taxpayers deserve.

Nelson isn't.

I'm not happy with Nelson so far.   He's walking a tight-rope between supporting his party leadership (Obama) vs. fighting for workforce in his district.

Problem is that it is the electorship who put him in his job and he needs to fight harder for them.   His junior Senate colleague, George LeMieux, is doing a much, much better job of representing the Florida workforce right now.

Ross.

Of note:

George LeMieux is a placeholder for Crist or Rubio versus whoever the Democrats come up with. Maybe Crist versus Rubio if Crist changes parties.

The 2010 Florida Senate race could be a venue to fight this out, a venue that WILL receive attention from the Oval Office.

[mjcrsmith]

Maybe this is naïve, but since taking the position, should not the Administrator have been working on a plan for NASA and getting the budget to implement that plan?

It seems that he has waited for a budget and now is going to develop the plan.

[mr_magoo]

I thought Nelson was quite good.  He's looking for specific concessions (more HLV money).  A stark contrast to Vitter, who proposes nothing but vague unease.   There is nothing constructive in his comments.

[jongoff]

No matter where you are on this issue, Vitter is asking the hard questions the taxpayers deserve.

Nelson isn't.

I'm not happy with Nelson so far.   He's walking a tight-rope between supporting his party leadership (Obama) vs. fighting for workforce in his district.

Problem is that it is the electorship who put him in his job and he needs to fight harder for them.   His junior Senate colleague, George LeMieux, is doing a much, much better job of representing the Florida workforce right now.

Ross,

I think it was you who pointed this out to me, but Nelson loss the Space Coast handily--it's a very strongly republican area.  The electorship that does care directly about keeping the Shuttle or Shuttle Derived vehicles going voted against Nelson for the most part.  Why do you expect he would expend political capital for people who voted against him?

~Jon

[clb22]

Gibson says NASA needs to define a goal (this really is what the discussion is about now) + he thinks an HLV is needed.

[Robotbeat]

Gibson is pushing for a Shuttle extension.

[Chris Bergin]

Hoot doesn't like the plan due to lack of goals, believes it could lead to a path that will result in no HSF program.

Cites the Augustine Committee on ultimate goals on exploration.

"NASA needs a destination and a goal. This becomes the flexible path, needs a HLV to achieve the goals.

Safety of astros a priority.

Cities shuttle's flight history, and how successful it is. We have flown 130 missions now. Compare that to the 31 launches that preceeded shuttle. It has been a great accomplishment.

Makes no sense to turn everything over to an unproven vehicle.

[clb22]

Says Shuttle has flown 130 times vs. 31 crewed flights before then all together. Wants Shuttle extension, is skeptical about commercial.

[neilh]

Regarding Bolden's responses, I thought it was nice how he mentioned how the new plan's goals aren't too dissimilar from those of the Vision for Space Exploration. I wish he could've actually listed out some of the VSE goals though to show just how in line they are with the new plans.

[marsavian]

Maybe this is naïve, but since taking the position, should not the Administrator have been working on a plan for NASA and getting the budget to implement that plan?

It seems that he has waited for a budget and now is going to develop the plan.

The plan is only coming now because the architects of this strategy (not Bolden who was being converted to DIRECT as shown by the last MSFC studies) didn't think anyone would ask for one ! They just thought everyone would be dazzled by the sheer brilliance of it that everyone would just tell them fine, fantastic, off you go and have fun tinkering ... seriously, that's the kind of intellects we are dealing with here.

[clb22]

Regarding Bolden's responses, I thought it was nice how he mentioned how the new plan's goals aren't too dissimilar from those of the Vision for Space Exploration. I wish he could've actually listed out some of the VSE goals though to show just how in line they are with the new plans.

He should have said he could have avoided the whole discussion by just keep the dates (2020 date for Moon) and set a 2030 date for Mars. That would be dishonest, but hey, at least Congress and the public would be fine with it, no matter if the dates are realistic or not.

[Mark S]

The term "Rocket-X" keeps coming up in the context of heavy lift.  Is this a code word for inline-SDLV?  (You know, the D word...)