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Posted on 06/15/2015 9:49:42 AM PDT by SoConPubbie
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz supports NASA's human space exploration program as a national priority that deserves congressional support.
USA Today reports if NASA's program goes as planned, astronauts could travel to Mars by the 2030s.
Cruz, a Tea Party Republican, said developing a rocket and capsule that could cost tens of billions of dollars is "critical" to ensuring American's leadership in space.
"It is imperative that America has the capability to get to the space station without the assistance of the Russians," Cruz said Tuesday while chairing a hearing before the Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Science, Space and Competitiveness. "The Commercial Crew Program is critical to restoring this capability."
Florida Sen. Bill Nelson, the top Democrat on the space subcommittee, also supports more funding for the space program.
"We shouldn't be relying on the Russians to ride (to the space station)," Nelson said referring to tensions between Washington and Moscow over Ukraine. "They were a reliable partner ... but we can't predict what Vladimir Putin is going to do now."
Yet, Former Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, is not in favor of the space program.
"In the '70s, we learned how to go and land on the moon and stay and do some things there," Aldrin said. "To do that again 50 years later just does not seem to be something that would be attractive."
Former Apollo 7 astronaut Walt Cunningham said NASA's funding amounts to about one-half of one percent of the federal budget so debating about the space program is just academic at the moment.
"Unless Congress decides to put more money in it, this is just talk we're going through here," he told the senators. "The budget has to go up."
The trip to Mars could face major delays if the funding is not increased. It is not clear if Cruz's public support of NASA's human exploration may translate into more funding.
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Ted Cruz Ping! The left throws fits about a “Science non believer” having power over NASA because he says NASA needs to remember their mission, drop the endless earth sciences, get back to forward thinking exploration or face funding cuts.
I read just last week that NASA is now working with the scientologists to promote their global warming BS.
It's not about help, it's the combination of brainpower and commadary.
—Yet, Former Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, is not in favor of the space program.—
I watched this particular hearing on C Span and I’m quite sure the author is taking Mr. Aldrin’s words out of context. He is not ‘against the space program’. He’s advocating doing bigger and better things we have not yet done, but could do if the U.S. is committed.
As I recall in all three astronaut’s closing words to Senator Cruz, they want this country to forge a newer and well funded space program, but made clear it will take money - and lots of it.
And I am most relieved that the good Senator heads up such an important subcommittee.
Cloward Piven, pick up line 1.
Ultimately, as long as a dem remains in or near NASA, there will be mo space program to speak of. They don’t want humams on this planet much less any others.
The mission has been bastardized beyond recognition and Nasa needs to be gutted top down. Then rebuilt with no one close to a liberal near it as a matter of national security.
And even if we have disagreements here on earth with Russian expansion plans, it's no reason we can not be comrades in Space.
Sputik!!
Take a look at a vintage picture of mission control during an Apollo mission. No political correctness will be seen. The guys in the picture are there because they were the best.
Get rid of liberals and costs halve overninght. Probably more than halve. They are there to funnel money to Dem causes. Masa, military, everything. Why else would a fighter jet cost 1/4 billion a pop? It ain’t because titanium got THAT expensive. It’s the multiple layers of management, each with it’s own budget, each budget with a green/social justice expenditure list.
I do remember the launch starting a space-race between USSR & America.
Well we have Russian advisers now. They last advised us to jump on trampolines. Which is a better plan than helping Muslims feel better about themselves. So Russia is definitely winning.
I do not care about working with anyone to go to space. We did it before by ourselves and were #1. Only when we decided to diversify did we lose ground. America first.
The Sputnik crisis was a period of public fear and uncertainty in the United States in the wake of the success of the Soviet Sputnik program and a perceived technological gap between the two superpowers.[1] It was a key Cold War event beginning with the launch of Sputnik 1, the first artificial Earth satellite, by the Soviet Union on 4 October 1957 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The Sputnik crisis led to the creation of NASA and the start of the Space Race. The term was coined by then-US President Dwight D. Eisenhower.[citation needed]
OK, You Got Me. ...satire.
Russia had the first man in space, too.
It's Russian technology keeping the space station up there.
Moon Landing?? What did we gain?? Ego?? Big deal.
Work with the Russians. The benefit is a two way street.
We didn't!! ...were were scared to death they now had a working rocket that could launch nukes into the heartland of the USA.
When they say 'Sorry, no more rides to Space Station because of sanctions for invading Ukraine', what are we going to say/do?
Cruz’s readiness — not to say eagerness — to pick a fight with Russia is one of the leading reasons I will not be voting for him.
“It is imperative that America has the capability to get to the space station without the assistance of the Russians,” Cruz said...
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I hear ya. Such radical statements makes me wonder about Ted too - I think as soon as he is in office he is going to nuke Moscow and then how will we get our guys back from the space station? He’s always thinking ahead. /S
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