This is the direction for our space program that two successive Congresses have endorsed, and that, according to a very recent Gallup Poll, three-quarters of our citizens "support", or "strongly support". This support is found roughly in equal proportions across the political spectrum, and between the genders. This is the kind of support that will fuel many of our space science initiatives in the future. And we are just at the beginning.
Having said this, I am aware that many in the science community have questioned NASA's commitment to science, and believe their own work to be gravely threatened by the Vision for Space Exploration. Let me speak directly to this point. I have frequently stated my belief that exploration will be a boon for science in the long-term. I have also said on many occasions that it is not our desire to sacrifice present-day scientific efforts for the sake of future benefits to be derived from exploration. We who run NASA today are doing our very best to preserve these efforts in the face of, frankly, some daunting fiscal realities. But we also must avoid setting unrealistic expectations. NASA's $5.4 billion investment in its Earth and space science portfolio is almost the size of the entire National Science Foundation, and this robust portfolio has grown at a rate significantly greater than has NASA's top line budget over the past decade. Such growth cannot logically be supported within an overall portfolio that is at best fixed in constant dollars.
But we must also acknowledge the plain fact that we cannot do everything that was on our plate when I assumed office. All of you know many reasons why this is so. NASA can only move forward on our fundamental missions of exploration, science and aeronautics at the pace that available resources will allow, so it is important to be as efficient as possible in allocating these resources. To this end, we have made several changes in recent months, and I would like to discuss some of these changes with you tonight.
First, we are reconstituting the organization the Science Mission Directorate into separate offices for Earth science, heliophysics, planetary science and physics and astronomy.
Second, Mary is defining an executable science program across each of these portfolios in Earth and space science. She is conducting a rigorous review of each flight project now in formulation and development, and establishing gates through which each program must pass in order to proceed from formulation to development. This process requires balancing technical performance against cost, evaluating the management team that is in place, and rigorously identifying risks and defining plans to mitigate them. We very much need better cost discipline in the large assignment missions, as cost growth inhibits the future of the smaller, but incredibly prolific, competed lines.
Article comments
1 - Aaman
The Space Race has contributed very little to human progress, as compared to the Computer Age, or the Industrial Age.
The potential ROI may be huge, but the actual ROI is negative.
Convert NASA into a science research organization and make it an international coordinator of global joint space research, and don't have everyone re-inventing the global space wheel
2 - Bennett
Human progress?
What, like Hubble? Or telecommunications satellites? Or the technology that has spun off into medical research and the development of revolutionary diagnostic equipment?
Or are you using "Space Race" as a euphemism for Manned Space Flight?
Because either way, I think you are wrong, Aaman.
Are you denying the transfer of technology that played a big part in what you call the Computer Age? Are you missing the point that manned space flight is the only sure thing that can guarantee the continuation of the Human Age?
Is the continuation of our species "progress"?
3 - Aaman
Not really, we haven't done such a good job in stewardship of this planet, let's not fuck up any more.
Give Earth Back to the Dolphins!
4 - Bennett
Granted, but our kids could be better at it than the current gang. That's what we strive for, eh?
Plus, the Dolphins haven't gotten it together for migrating off-planet yet.
5 - Eric Bennett
Perhaps the cockroaches are more suited for planetary domination. I guess time will tell, but I agree that our kid's and their wiser stewardship would be a more rewarding prophecy seen fulfilled.
6 - JR
Aaman: Convert NASA into a science research organization and make it an international coordinator of global joint space research, and don't have everyone re-inventing the global space wheel
Some international coordination is a good idea, just to direct traffic and to manage environmental issues (by which I mean debris in orbit, among other things). But I like the idea of people re-inventing the wheel because every once in a while someone comes up with a better wheel; or at least one better adapted to a specific use.
Disorganization breeds diversity; and a diverse approach is a robust approach.
And since when do humans stop at fucking up just one thing? Come on, we're more ambitious than that!