NASA. The very utterance of the word conjures up icons like Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin landing on the moon and scurrying about its surface. Space shuttles heaving themselves into earth orbit while crowds below witness with awe the power that the agency wields.
An organization that truly demonstrates what Americans are capable of when they commit themselves.
But as of late, that iconic moniker that NASA has always had seems to have tarnished somewhat. Notice that I said “what Americans are capable of when they commit themselves”. That ideal is a part of what has begun to tarnish what NASA is – A space agency.
This week, word came out that the Obama administration made the motions to scrap NASA’s planned return to the moon by denying the funding for the program. When I caught wind of that, I was furious! Once again, NASA is hindered by government bureaucracy and American unwillingness to set its eyes on the horizon; to jump that gap into the unknown and advance science. It’s a story that has been replayed time and time again.
Then I began to think about it. My anger waned and I finally came to the conclusion that denying those funds was probably the right thing to do. Why you may ask? Well, it’s simple actually. NASA, with all of its genius, with all of its know how, with all of its innovation developed the Constellation Program to return Americans (not man) to the Moon. The Constellation Program. If you are unfamiliar with it, it is, in its most basic terms, a reboot of the Apollo program updated with today’s technology.
Really? That’s the best you can do? Twenty BILLION US dollars over twenty years to “refresh” Apollo? I’m beginning to feel relieved that the wallet got taken away from NASA. I was never completely comfortable with this program. I spent some time at Kennedy Space Center last year. I’ve seen the capsule, the rocket stages and the overall plan. While excited that we are actually planning a return to the moon, there was a small part of me that felt that something wasn’t right. I feel that NASA got it wrong.
I’ve come to the conclusion that it isn’t Apollo that needs a “reboot” but rather the Agency itself. My idea?
Dissolve NASA. Yes, I said it. Dissolve the agency.
Here’s why. Americans continue to have this 1960’s idea of NASA. An organization built for a race. A race to dominate space. No matter what, the Americans must be the country that’s “been there done that”. We must be first. That ideal is stale. The only way to successfully colonize space and advance space science is to make it a human effort. Not a political "penis sizing" competition. Dissolve the agency. Rebuild it under the command of say, the United Nations (although I am far from a fan of that organization!) A space agency needs to be headed up and funded by an international consortium.
As for going to the moon? Don’t pull out spare parts and gizmos from a bygone era and rebrand it “Constellation”. That’s absurd. We (a consortium of countries, get it?) currently have a high flying gem known as the International Space Station that is begging for more work to do. A perfect “stage one” for an all new effort to return man to the Moon and on to Mars. Under an international effort, take those billions and build say, a hanger to attach to the ISS. A “mega-node” if you will. People, parts, modules, experiments & habitats can then be ferried to the station. Constructed in orbit and sent moon bound. This effectively negates the whole “weight to lift ratio” argument. A return trip is a simple matter of returning to Earth orbit, docking with the station and awaiting a return vehicle for the ride home.
Pretty simple huh? Expensive? Yes. But with international support? Manageable.
I’ve got more to say about this whole subject but I don’t want to drag this on forever (seriously, I could). I will be thinking about this subject and tossing out my ideas. I would LOVE to hear about yours!Your resident Nerd,
SjN
