Open Letter To Congress On Commercial Space

Status Report From:

Posted: Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Dear Members of Congress:



We, the undersigned space leaders, are strong supporters of human spaceflight. We are writing to urge you to both (1) fully fund the commercial crew to Space Station program proposed in the President's FY2011 budget request for NASA, and (2) accelerate the pace and funding of NASA's human space exploration projects beyond Earth orbit.



These twin pillars of human spaceflight are each crucial to the long-term health of our Nation's space program. They are also interdependent.



And they will together generate thousands of high tech U.S. jobs for people in multiple states, including Florida, Alabama, Texas, California, Nevada, Virginia, Colorado, New Mexico, and Maryland.



Among us are over 50 space leaders--former NASA executives and advisors, former astronauts, CEOs of firms large and small, a former FAA Associate Administrator, space scientists, space journalists, and others. We are a diverse group, but we are only a handful of the Nation's citizens who support U.S. leadership in human space flight in general, and the development of commercial human spaceflight in particular.



We specifically wish to express our concern that the commercial crew to Space Station program is sometimes seen as optional or too risky to America's future in space, but nothing could be further from the truth.



In fact, the commercial crew to Space Station program is a fundamental enabler of NASA's human space exploration beyond Earth orbit, specifically because it will free up the NASA dollars needed to develop deep space transportation and exploration systems for astronauts.



Moreover, a commercial crew to Station transportation system, involving multiple separate space lines as the President has proposed, is more robust than a single-legged transportation plan, whether domestic or foreign.



For these reasons and others, we fully and enthusiastically support both full funding for the commercial crew to Space Station program and also the acceleration of exploration beyond Earth orbit, as the top two priorities within NASA's human spaceflight budget.



Together, these two efforts will also:

Provide an affordable and fast way to close the current post-Shuttle gap in indigenous U.S. human orbital spaceflight capability, by using launch vehicles that already exist.

Provide a safe and robust future transportation network to low Earth orbit and beyond for U.S. astronauts. Ensure that our dependence on foreign human launch capabilities is reduced quickly and economically.

Reduce space access costs and enhance our national security industrial base.

Allow NASA to better focus on accelerating space exploration and the development of its enabling technologies.

Excite young Americans to careers in science, engineering, and technology.

Stimulate the private sector economy and the development of space commerce over in a dramatic way, by catalyzing other U.S. space interests such as space tourism and the operation of private in-space research facilities.

Excite entrepreneurs to envision and then give birth to new commercial services and capabilities in space, further stimulating the Nation's economy. Others have said that one of the greatest fears of any generation is not leaving things better for the young people of the next generation. We agree with this.

Therefore we reiterate that the near term development of commercial human spaceflight and a clearly defined program of human exploration beyond Earth orbit are both essential. Without either, our Nation's leadership in space will significantly suffer.We urge you to make these two goals your highest priorities within NASA's FY2011 budget for human spaceflight.Sincerely,The undersigned, listed alphabeticallyMr. Bretton AlexanderPresident, Commercial Spaceflight FederationWashington, D.C.Mr. Eric AndersonPresident and CEO, Space AdventuresVienna, VirginiaDr. Daniel N. BakerDirector, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of ColoradoBoulder, ColoradoDr. Jim BellProfessor, Planetary Scientist, and Member of the Mars Exploration Rover team, Cornell UniversityIthaca, New YorkCapt. Ken Bowersox, Ret.Former NASA Astronaut, and Vice President of Mission Assurance & Astronaut Safety, Space Exploration Technologies Corp.Hawthorne, CaliforniaMr. Chad BrinkleyPresident, DCI Services and ConsultingHouston, TexasMs. Heather BulkPresident and CEO, Special Aerospace ServicesBoulder, ColoradoMr. John CarmackPresident and CEO, Armadillo AerospaceCaddo Mills, TexasDr. Peter DiamandisChairman and CEO, X-Prize FoundationPlaya Vista, CaliforniaMr. Frank DiBelloPresident and CEO, Space FloridaKennedy Space Center, FloridaDr. Michael DrakeHead, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of ArizonaTucson, ArizonaMr. Art DulaCEO, Excalibur AlmazHouston, TexasMs. Esther DysonPrincipal, EDyson VenturesNew York, New YorkMr. Edward EllegoodDirector of Aerospace Development, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical UniversityDaytona Beach, FloridaDr. Robert FarquharSenior Mission Designer, KinetX Corp.Fairfax, VirginiaMr. Jeff FeigeCEO, Orbital OutfittersLos Angeles, CaliforniaMr. Jim ForemanPresident, Blue Smoke LLCHouston, TexasDr. Owen GarriottFormer NASA Astronaut, and Aerospace ConsultantHuntsville, AlabamaMr. Richard GarriottCommercial AstronautAustin, TexasMr. Jeffrey GreasonCEO, XCOR AerospaceMojave, CaliforniaDr. Jeffrey HoffmanFormer NASA Astronaut, and MIT professorCambridge, MassachusettsMr. Richard HomansExecutive Director, New Mexico SpaceportLas Cruces, New MexicoDr. Scott HubbardFormer Director of NASA Ames, and ProfessorSan Francisco, CaliforniaMr. Michael JoycePresident, Next Giant Leap LLCBoulder, ColoradoMr. Dale KetchamDirector, Spaceport Research & Technology InstituteMeritt Island, FloridaMr. Jim KennedyFormer Director, NASA Kennedy Space CenterCocoa Beach, FloridaMr. Glenn KingChief Operating Officer, NASTAR; PennsylvaniaSouthampton, PennsylvaniaMr. Bill KhourieExecutive Director, Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority, Oklahoma SpaceportBurns Flat, OklahomaDr. Byron LichtenbergFormer NASA AstronautHouston, TexasMr. Todd LindnerDirector, Cecil Field Spaceport, Jacksonville Aviation AuthorityJacksonville, FloridaDr. John LogsdonFounder, Space Policy Institute, George Washington University.Washington, D.C.Lt. Col. J. Mike Lounge, Ret.Former Astronaut, and President, Cisneros Innovation StrategiesHouston, TexasDr. Stephen MackwellDirector, Lunar and Planetary InstituteHouston, TexasMr. David MastenCEO, Masten Space Systems Inc.Mojave, CaliforniaMr. Bill MitchellCEO, Environmental Tectonics CorporationSouthampton, PennsylvaniaMr. James A.M. MuncyCo-Founder, Space Frontier FoundationAlexandria, VirginiaDr. John MuratoreFormer Space Shuttle Flight Director and University of Tennessee Space InstituteTullahoma, TennesseeMr. Elon MuskCEO and CTO, Space Exploration Technologies Corp.Hawthorne, CaliforniaMr. Miles O'BrienAerospace Journalist, and Managing Editor of "This Week in Space"New York, New YorkMr. Rich PhillipsPresident, Phillips & CompanyAustin, TexasMr. Joseph E. Palaia, IVManager, NewSpace Center, and Vice President, 4Frontiers Corp.New Port Richey, FloridaMr. Brian RishikofCEO, Odyssey Space ResearchHouston, TexasDr. Rusty SchweickartFormer NASA Astronaut, and Aerospace ConsultantLos Angeles, CaliforniaCol. Richard Searfoss, Ret.Former NASA Astronaut, and Chief Test Pilot, XCOR AerospaceMojave, CaliforniaMr. Frank Sietzen, Jr.Author, and Former Editor in Chief of Ad Astra Magazine of the National Space SocietyArlington, VirginiaMr. Mark SirangeloChairman, Sierra Nevada Corporation Space Systems, and Chairman of the Board, Commercial Spaceflight FederationLousville, ColoradoMr. Frederick A. SlaneExecutive Director, Space Infrastructure Foundation, Inc.Colorado Springs, ColoradoMs. Linda Kenny SloanPresident, Information UniverseCarson, CaliforniaMs. Patti Grace SmithFormer FAA Associate Administrator, and Aerospace ConsultantWashington, D.C.Mr. John SpencerFounder and President, Space Tourism SocietyLos Angeles, CaliforniaDr. Alan SternFormer NASA Associate Administrator for Science, and Aerospace ConsultantNiwot, ColoradoDr. Frederick A. TarantinoPresident ad CEO, Universities Space Research AssociationColumbia, MarylandMr. Rick N. Tumlinson,Co-founder, Space Frontier FoundationToluca Lake, CaliforniaCol. Jim Voss, Ret.Former NASA Astronaut, and Director of Advanced Programs, Sierra Nevada Corporation Space SystemsLouisville, ColoradoMr. Robert W. WerbCo-founder, Space Frontier FoundationNyack, New YorkMr. Stuart WittGeneral Manager, Mojave Air and Space PortMojave, California

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