What got my attention right away was the first sentence: “The U.S. human spaceflight program appears to be on an unsustainable trajectory.” Wow, that is quite a bold and disturbing statement. I am anxious to read deeper into the report to understand why the panel felt that way. In any program, just as in any aircraft approach or rendezvous trajectory, the sooner we can correct the trajectory the better.
The report clearly stated their task in the preface. I thought it was very interesting that the panel was tasked to provide alternatives to the current program, not to provide specific recommendations. Does anyone know of any recent panels/commissions with a similar scope (or would it be restriction or framework?)?
With my experience in the ISS program, the fourth paragraph in the executive summary rang true for me: “If the United States is willing to lead a global program of exploration, sharing both the burden and benefit of space exploration in a meaningful way, significant accomplishments could follow. Actively engaging international partners in a manner adapted to today’s multi-polar world could strengthen geopolitical relationships, leverage global financial and technical resources, and enhance the exploration enterprise.” Perhaps the toughest challenge will be how to lead such a program. I think that the world would be more willing to participate if they felt they all had a part in the leadership, not simply following the United States. Certainly the U.S. can lead the call, but ultimate leadership should come from many nations.
I’m not sure that I agree with the statement in the 7th paragraph of the summary: “Planning for a human spaceflight program should begin with a choice about its goals – rather than a choice of possible destinations.” That seems to contradict JFK’s speech on 12 September 1962, which clearly stated the goal of landing on the Moon, a destination. Perhaps this is a subtle difference and I need to think about it some more, or perhaps it is explained in the next paragraph…..
I truly believe the following statement from the summary: “The Committee concludes that the ultimate goal of human exploration is to chart a path for human expansion into the solar system”. Who wants to answer the questions that invariably a future generation will have as a killer asteroid approaches the Earth: “Why didn’t you think about this? Why did you give up on us?”
That is all I have for now…I will continue to read…until then, happy reading to you as well!!
Dan
Interesting comments on the exec summary...I am not familiar with the report and look forward to your thoughts. If the Augustine Commission is a review of a government program, I find the information pertinent to its genesis most critical in determining the value of the recommendations... when and who commissioned it, in response to what event plus the political climate at the time of commissioning.. personality, politics, budgets, and science make for an interesting brew!
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