Zach, Jwiekle: I started this morning off with news articles from spacepolitics and these are some of the responses from the constellatioin site:
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Tony Tether is exactly right, it is about all of us going, not just a handful of people!

Posted by Sammy at June 9, 2004 08:26 AM

I don't understand why we are not doing more to fast track projects like ESA's ATV and Japan's H-II transfer vehical. These are supposed to be our partners in the ISS why can't we do technology transfers and open our facilities that could help get these needed devices up sooner?
Also, why isn't NASA looking into the possibility of launching a MPLM like Leonardo with an EELV to the ISS? Just one of these can hold all the parts, (new spacesuits, gyros, replacement equiptment, etc..) normaly carried up by the shuttle.
NASA worries about the lack of interest in space flight; give the public something to to be interested in! Show some imagenation! The public want's to see some of the "can do" spirit shown durring the early days. Show the congress and the American people that you can work through adversity and you'll be supprised by the support you'll recive!
America and the rest of the world are anxouis to support the next great adventure into space but first NASA has to prove they are are worthy of our support.

Posted by Earl Blake at June 9, 2004 08:40 AM

Same problem as the Russians currently have when providing the soyuz, We can not give money to our once upon a time enemies or non-friendly nations of the cold war era by law.

I agree we need to tare down the remaining walls between the partnership nations.

As far as resupply of the ISS this could also be done by the delta 4 or atlas 5 rockets and by others as well. It is a matter of automated docking and cargo area conversion from satelite use.

I for one am anxouis to read the final report thou 60 pages will take a while to digest.

Posted by Harold LaValley at June 9, 2004 08:58 AM

Harold, ESA and Japan are not restricted by the tech transfer embargos like the Russians are. We could help them but choose not to. My biggest disappointment lack of imagination and blinders that NASA has put on since the shuttle era. Apollo 13 fit a square peg in a round hole to get the astronauts home safely. NASA engineers found a Skylab rescue plan in 30 days after a disastrous launch. The pieces are there to resupply the ISS with American equipment if we have the will and the guts to do it! Docking is not necessary, only rendezvous is. The station manipulator arm is capable of doing the docking. NASA has to stop finding excuses why something can't be done and finding ways to get things done with the resources at its disposal!

Posted by Earl Blake at June 9, 2004 09:36 AM
Earl,

I think most everyone see's that NASA has to change. I don't mean to be rude, but how is supporting Tech transfers and coming up with innovative ways to resupply the ISS away to capture the peoples imagination? I really believe the main issue is that people, during the apollo years, believed that space travel was in there future, that kids could grow up with a good chance to go to the moon themselves. Now 45 years later space is still off limits except for a handful of people. I think what will really garner support and interest is programs such as the X Prize, where people actually can participate in going into space.

Posted by Sammy at June 9, 2004 10:11 AM
The x-prise is a good first step but if it cost more than a typical airplane flight it will still only garner the rich and will die off quickly.

Posted by Harold LaValley at June 9, 2004 10:54 AM

Sammy;
You're right. Tech transfers and resupply of the ISS is not going to fill a young persons mind with visions of space travel. But the fact that NASA wrings its hands over this mundane stuff inspires very little confidence in its ablity to even finish the space station much less mount a new mission of exploration. As a boy watching Neil Armstrong first set foot on the moon in 1969 I thought the park service would have tours of the site by this time, now I doubt that my children will ever get see another moon landing much less participate in one themselves.
The one bright spot has been the X-Prize. I think much of the world will be watching, not just the competition but what happens after, with great anticipation. I can't help but feel that we have been here before.

Posted by Earl Blakw at June 9, 2004 11:09 AM
Earl,

Sadly enough I agree. It seems to me that NASA has become both the gateway and major road block in our expansion into space. Maybe we should start thinking of getting rid of NASA ?

Harold,

If companies can make a profit, then it will last and as the technology matures, the cost's should come down. It would be a bootstrapping proccess.

Posted by Sammy at June 9, 2004 11:34 AM

I too watched in awe the moon landings and saturn V launches as well as the splash downs from the 60's into the 70's. Joyed in skylab and watched such shows on tv as Star trek, space 1999 and others that have since followed wonder if I in my lifetime would ever get the chance....

Now stuck in LEO for the last 20 I feel Nasa will never even be allowed to start this grand vision due to budgetary rangling in congress over funding.

The Nasa of old has lost its ingiunety as it were to put a square peg in a round hole. It has lost the ability to make something from what it has. It conmtuinually creates all anew when something is needed rather than improving on what it has.

The boeings and lockheed have the finacial footing due to military contractual base but see no benifit for investing in a commercial market.

This said they will not develope until they have a contract in hand any conceptual ideas they may have for the CEV let alone a lonely capsule for safe return of the ISS crew from orbit or to give a temporary to orbit vehicle to be used on existing rockets.

Posted by Harold LaValley at June 9, 2004 11:44 AM

Good stuff.