Reviewing the Future for NASA Astronauts
Department:
The Future in Space
Teaser:
The agency's expansive study comes as it awaits word from President Obama of his goals and spending priorities for the space program.
Source:
NYT > Science Download time: Jan 27 2010 7:26 AM ET
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is preparing for a major evaluation of its human spaceflight program, even as many who will conduct the survey have yet to be informed of the agency's revised mission.
The expansive, multimonth technical study, still in the preliminary stages, might be similar to the Exploration Systems Architecture Study that in 2005 settled on the design of the agency's program to return astronauts to the Moon by 2020.
Given a possible shift in goals and budgets — President Obama will reveal his space plans on Monday in his 2011 budget request — the study is to survey the variety of available rockets and spacecraft, consider different strategies for reaching future destinations and recommend a framework of how to proceed.…
The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that the White House is planning to eliminate the moon program and the Ares rockets that were planned to replace the Space Shuttle and carry astronauts to the Moon and Mars.
