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Projects: Space AdvocacyUpdates4/4/2008 - Congressional Testimony of Shuttle Astronaut Kathryn Thornton Chairman Udall, Ranking Member Feeney, and members of the subcommittee, thank you for inviting me to appear before you today. My name is Kathryn Thornton and I am a Professor and Associate Dean in the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Virginia. I appear here this morning in my role as an organizer and co-chair of an independent workshop entitled Examining the Vision: Balancing Exploration and Science held last February at Stanford University. The workshop was co-hosted by Stanford University Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics and The Planetary Society. Other organizers were co-chair Professor G. Scott Hubbard from Stanford University, Dr. Louis Friedman of The Planetary Society; and Dr. Wesley T. Huntress, Jr., of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. The post-workshop joint communiqué and a partial list of participants are attached. 3/13/2008 - Statement to the House of Representatives Science and Technology Committee Today, The Planetary Society submitted an invited statement to the House of Representatives Science and Technology Committee, Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, regarding NASA's proposed 2009 budget. On behalf of Society members, this statement was entered into the official record. The U.S. Congress is now reviewing in detail the Administration's proposed budget for fiscal year 2009. Today's hearing of the Science and Aeronautics Subcommittee was part of the congressional authorization process, which will set the direction for NASA and oversee the results. The actual dollars in the budget will be allocated by the Appropriations Committee, which has its own series of hearings planned. 2/27/2008 - A Letter to Rep. Adam Schiff on the Mars Exploration Program SAVE MARS EXPLORATION The proposed fiscal year 2009 NASA budget made many improvements in its science plans. However, as we noted, they came at the expense of the terrific Mars program established a decade ago. Despite the enormous public interest in Mars and its fundamental importance to the key questions of space exploration, its program has been cut for four straight years since the Vision for Space Exploration was announced -- even though the Vision was supposed to be directed to Mars. We do not believe the Vision can be funded by removing its goal; and we have written to our local Congressman who serves on the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee asking his help to forestall this additional cut. 2/14/2008 - Space Experts Say: Restore Funding and Enhance International Outreach "This workshop achieved a consensus that NASA's resources have not been commensurate with its mandated missions of exploration and science," said G. Scott Hubbard, former director of NASA's Ames Research Laboratory and a consulting professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford. 2/08/2008 - Workshop- "Examining the Vision: Balancing Science and Exploration" 2/5/2008 - From the Executive Director: New NASA Budget: Our Members Make a Difference The newly proposed NASA budget for fiscal year 2009 (beginning in October 2008) is stirring testimony to the power and value of public support for space exploration. Just two years ago, the Administration submitted a budget with sharp cutbacks in science and continued cuts to the Earth observation program. Congress heard the outcries from the science community and public protests led by The Planetary Society, which resulted in some restoration and redirection of funds, saving many research programs and a few planned space science missions. 1/18/2008 - Submit Your Space Questions to the Debates Here's how: The sponsors of the debates are inviting the public to submit questions to the candidates online at http://dyn.politico.com/debate/. You can now go to the website and submit a question on the candidates' approach to space exploration. While the popularity of a subject is not the only factor determining which questions will be asked in the debates, a large number of questions on particular topics will certainly help. 11/9/2007 - Two Instruments Restored to the Mars Science Laboratory 9/18/2007 - Budget Axe Falls on Mars Science Laboratory -- Science Plans for the Mission Cut 2/16/2006 A Better Path for NASA: Statement of The Planetary Society to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Feb 16, 2006 2/6/2006 Planetary Society Charges Administration with Blurring its Vision
for Space Exploration 12/12/05 ESA Council of Ministers Commits Europe to Leading Role in Space 11/28/05 Congress Removes Barrier to Space Exploration 11/10/05 NASA Appropriations Bill Passes Congress 11/22/05 NASA 2006 Budget Approved |
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