The Problem With Government Space Programs
The government procurement process is no way to encourage innovation.
by Rod D. Martin
January 15, 2007
The Houston Chronicle reports that one casualty of the GOP's kicking of all the continuing resolutions into 2007 is NASA. Senators had worked out a deal to increase the NASA budget by $1 billion, allowing continuation of vital research programs (scramjets included) and current manned ops, but also permitting needed -- and urgent -- development of the manned craft and launch vehicles which must replace the aging and increasingly dangerous Space Shuttle fleet. Even if that work stays on its planned schedule, something which is far from certain under the best of circumstances, the U.S. is scheduled for a four-year gap during which it will have NO ability to launch humans into space. Meantime, the Russian program rolls on, and the Chinese plan landings and colonies on the Moon.
We support the President's space plans, as I wrote at some length here when he announced them. America needs a robust space program for a long list of reasons, defense among them b…