[Names Ash Housewares]

For those of us who have accepted the risk and dedicated a portion of our lives to the exploration of outer space, this is a terrible decision. Our experiences were made possible by the efforts of thousands who were similarly dedicated to the exploration of the last frontier. Success in this great national adventure was predicated on well defined programs, an unwavering national commitment, and an ambitious challenge. We understand there are risks involved in human space flight, but they are calculated risks for worthy goals, whose benefits greatly exceed those risks.

America’s greatness lies in her people: she will always have men and women willing to ride rockets into the heavens. America’s challenge is to match their bravery and acceptance of risk with specific plans and goals worthy of their commitment. NASA must continue at the frontiers of human space exploration in order to develop the technology and set the standards of excellence that will enable commercial space ventures to eventually succeed. Canceling NASA’s human space operations, after 50 years of unparalleled achievement, makes that objective impossible.

One of the greatest fears of any generation is not leaving things better for the young people of the next. In the area of human space flight, we are about to realize that fear; your NASA budget proposal raises more questions about our future in space than it answers.

Too many men and women have worked too hard and sacrificed too much to achieve America’s preeminence in space, only to see that effort needlessly thrown away. We urge you to demonstrate the vision and determination necessary to keep our nation at the forefront of human space exploration with ambitious goals and the proper resources to see them through. This is not the time to abandon the promise of the space frontier for a lack of will or an unwillingness to pay the price.

Sincerely, in hopes of continued American leadership in human space exploration.

Walter Cunningham Apollo 7

Chris Kraft Past Director JSC

Jack Lousma Skylab 3, STS 3

Vance Brand Apollo-Soyuz, STS-5, STS-41B, STS-35

Bob Crippen STS-1, STS-7, STS-41C, STS-41G Past Director KSC

Michael D. Griffin Past NASA Administrator

Ed Gibson Skylab 4

Jim Kennedy Past Director KSC

Alan Bean Apollo 12, Skylab 3

Alfred M. Worden Apollo 15

Scott Carpenter Mercury Astronaut

Glynn Lunney Gemini-Apollo Flight Director

Jim McDivitt Gemini 4, Apollo 9 Apollo Spacecraft Program Manager

Gene Kranz Gemini-Apollo Flight Director Past Director NASA Mission Ops.

Joe Kerwin Skylab 2

Fred Haise Apollo 13, Shuttle Landing Tests

Gerald Carr Skylab 4

Jim Lovell Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8, Apollo 13

Jake Garn STS-51D, U.S. Senator

Charlie Duke Apollo 16

Bruce McCandless STS-41B, STS-31

Frank Borman Gemini 7, Apollo 8

Paul Weitz Skylab 2, STS-6

George Mueller Past Associate Administrator For Manned Space Flight

Harrison Schmitt Apollo 17, U.S. Senator

Gene Cernan Gemini 9, Apollo 10, Apollo 17

Dick Gordon Gemini 11, Apollo 12

[Names Ash Housewares]

Helluva list there of some of America’s best.

[Ladysmith]

The best of the best may as well beat their heads against the wall. Barry is about nothing but tearing our great nation apart.

[caddie]

These are a bunch of prime pilots.

Obama, on the other hand, is a miserable pud-knocker.

[DeusExMachina05]

Billions for deadbeats, not one cent for space exploration!

[Paladin2]

I think we should send one Kenyan TO THE MOON.

[1955Ford]

Sorry, manned space programs cost too much and return almost no new knowledge. (they tell use useless things like spiders make crooked webs in space). On the other hand, robotic spacecraft have been spectacularly successful. They get 1000x more bang per buck. We need missions to Europa and Enceladus, the Mars polar regions, and ice deposits on the moon. And we need new space telescopes to look for other Earth-like planets. Here is one thing I can agree with Obama on.

[Soothesayer]

Obama would not support the space program unless it could someone increase his political power. That is the only thing this rodent cares about.

[Ladysmith]

Ping

[oldenuff2no]

Not one black man has ever led an expedition of great discovery. Correct me if I an wrong but I do not remember a single discovery of a new land, new place, or any expedition of exploring the unknown parts of the world ever being led by a black person.
This came to mind as I was in a discussing with several black friends about the space program. Not one of them saw any value, past or present, in our nations space program. They all had the same comment, that they thought the money could be better spent right here at home on the people. When I pushed them on this they admitted they meant social entitlement programs.
I really had to shake my head and walk off. These folks can't see past the end of their nose. If Christopher Columbus had been black the native Americans would be a happy independent continental nation. So bring on the facts and please correct me if I am wrong. It seems that if they can't see it them it does not exist.

[pallis]

Welcome to the Third World.

[KevinDavis]

For other space news go to: http://www.spacetoday.net
For a list of Private Space Companies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_private_spaceflight_companies

[Army Air Corps]

Ping.

[SueRae]

Great letter. Gene Kranz is my personal favorite. I was inspired to my line of work by the space program in my childhood. We need to pass this pride on to our children.

[NJJ]

I always felt that the years I worked in early lunar exploration, design and development, were like an advanced degree, learning things and methodologies, that I applied in commercial aerospace for the next 43 years.

When you cut a program to save money, you end up moving knowledge out of the field, that can not be replaced. Stimulus money is better spent maintaining capability to retain world leadership, than it is paying off your constituents.

Notice also he is also giving away leadership in Nuclear weapons systems. When you lose these people, you lose it all.

[saundby]

“Privatization” is just the veil behind which Zero’s trying to hide as he seeks to jettison any responsibility or commitment to space exploration. Manufacturing and operations can be done privately, and should be. The mission cannot be privatized, nor can the responsibility for funding it.

This is like telling Colt, Ruger and Taurus they’re now in charge of national defense, because he’s decided that privatization is the way to go. While killing the defense industry work at GD, Boeing, and Lockmart through program terminations.

[onedoug]

Thanks for the post, NAH.

And always thanks for the ping, KD. Science in general really makes my day.

(Great documentary on M-Theory here.)

[TruthNtegrity]

Bookmarking to read later