Comments on: NASA needs direction? Call Norm Augustine!

By: Jim McDade

Jim McDade — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 04:35:50 +0000

Direct was a huge flop at the public hearing today. Metschan embarrassed himself. I loved it when Chaio asked, “Who are you guys?” What we witnessed was not the failure of a frail individual. What we witnessed was the failure of an idea- a very faulty idea.

Metschan was very nervous. When he was dismissed, he exited the wrong way and actually walked between Augustine and the TV camera while the chairman was speaking. His body language indicated a strong desire to be anywhere other than he was.

Other than fondling the water bottle when challenged by the genuine experts on the panel, he picked up his copy and smartly plopped it down on the podium top as if he were straightening out the stack. That is an action that say, “I’m ready to go folks. Let me outta here now!”

By: Human spaceflight review gets underway | The Daily Planet

Human spaceflight review gets underway | The Daily Planet — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:44:02 +0000

[...] most important review of NASA space policy since the Columbia accident investigation kicks off today with its first public hearing. Watch it [...]

By: What the Augustine Committee Didn’t Know in 1990 | The Once and Future Moon

What the Augustine Committee Didn’t Know in 1990 | The Once and Future Moon — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:12:43 +0000

[...] newly formed commission led by Norman Augustine will review NASA’s human spaceflight program with the aim of determining if we are on the [...]

By: Tony Reichhardt

Tony Reichhardt — Mon, 11 May 2009 20:18:53 +0000

I was thinking of things like water testing of the Orion capsule and coming abort system tests. Not exactly launches, as you say, but at least something.

By: PHILLIP GEORGE

PHILLIP GEORGE — Sun, 10 May 2009 20:27:08 +0000

What “significant” test of hardware of the constellation program are you talking about?

Ares V is years away. Ares I? It was meant to be 5 segment booster, what are NASA going to be testing? Did they mention Ares was meant to be ‘Safe, Simple, Soon”? And how much was it meant to cost?

By: Dr. Paul D. Spudis

Dr. Paul D. Spudis — Sun, 10 May 2009 11:27:59 +0000

Good analysis, Tony. “Pay-as-you-go” is a fundamental assumption of the Vision.

I would add that we now know something we did not know when the original Augustine report came out in 1990 — that the lunar poles offer usable material resources (in particular, elevated amounts of hydrogen, a rare element on the Moon) and near-continuous sunlight, which can provide energy for continuous resource processing and surface operations. Together with robotic pre-emplacement of surface elements, these attributes permit early development of lunar resources (which are key to developing a robust cislunar transportation infrastructure) and easier and more versatile human lunar return.