Posted on 01/29/2004 5:04:59 PM PST by ambrose
[ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: 1/29/04 ]
NASA director defends Mars plan
By LARRY LIPMAN The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
WASHINGTON -- Defending President Bush's goal of sending a manned mission to Mars in the face of skyrocketing budget deficits, the nation's space agency director told a skeptical Senate panel Wednesday that there are some things only humans can do.
Testifying before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe said Bush's space exploration plans were both fiscally prudent and realistic and would comply with the administration's goal of cutting the budget deficit in half by the end of the decade.
In the budget scheduled to be released Monday, Bush is expected to recommend a $1 billion increase in NASA spending over the next five years, coupled with $11 billion in revisions to the space agency's projects. The total cost of going to Mars in the next few decades -- including trips back to the moon -- has been estimated to be at least $170 billion and perhaps far more.
The Congressional Budget Office earlier this week predicted that the federal deficit would reach $477 billion this fiscal year.
Noting that the cost of major space projects has been wildly underestimated in the past, senators on both sides of the aisle questioned whether the Mars estimate is more realistic than previous projects.
"The American public is justifiably apprehensive about starting another major space initiative for fear that they will learn later that it will require far more sacrifice, or taxpayer dollars, than originally discussed or estimated," said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the committee's chairman.
O'Keefe said spending on the missions would not exceed the rate of inflation so that the administration "would not pass a balloon note" to future generations.
Although committee members said they generally supported the goal of manned space exploration, several asked whether a manned Mars mission -- rather than less expensive robotic missions such as the rover landings this month -- would be worth the higher cost.
"Does it really benefit us that much going forward compared to the huge, huge difference in cost that it is going to take to get people there, along with the risk?" asked Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.). Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) said he was not "unalterably opposed to [manned] space exploration . . . but the question is: Can we afford to do this and is it really necessary?"
O'Keefe noted that the scientific accomplishments of each craft during its anticipated 90 to 120 days of exploration "could be accomplished by a human being in one day."
Manned missions would be planned for projects that could be done only by humans, O'Keefe said, recalling the risk of space exploration. Wednesday marked the 18th anniversary of the space shuttle Challenger accident, coming a day after the 37th anniversary of the launch pad fire that killed the Apollo 1 crew, and only a few days from the first anniversary of the space shuttle Columbia disaster that killed seven astronauts Feb. 1.
On a side note. Did he assemble his Lego Rover set while there?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.