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Projects: Space AdvocacyUpdates6/24/2009 - Lessons for the Future of Human Spaceflight Letter from Former Society President Wes Huntress to the Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee. 1/30/2009 - Planetary Society Reaches Out to Congress as NASA Funding Negotiations are Underway With a new Congress now in session in Washington, The Planetary Society is renewing its efforts to promote space exploration and help shape space policy in the coming years. In early February all members of Congress will receive a copy of Beyond the Moon, the Society's "roadmap" for the future of space exploration. 12/12/2008 - "Roadmap to Space" Makes the Rounds among Washington Decision Makers The Planetary Society's "Roadmap to Space" continues to get attention among space-policy experts in Washington D.C. Last month Society President Jim Bell, Executive Director Louis Friedman, and board member Scott Hubbard presented the plan to a packed press conference, and the Roadmap has been the focus of intense interest in the space community ever since. It is now making the rounds in the highest echelons of decision-makers in Washington, among the very people who will decide the direction of the space program under the incoming Administration. 11/13/2003 - Planetary Society Unveils Roadmap to Space The Planetary Society has outlined a vigorous new approach to space exploration for the consideration of the new U.S. Administration and Congress. "Beyond the Moon: A New Roadmap for Human Space Exploration in the 21st Century" calls for the United States to create -- in cooperation with international partners -- a space program that is as inspiring as it is sustainable in the world’s current economic climate. 10/16/2008 - President Signs NASA Authorization Bill On Wednesday, October 15, 2008, President Bush signed into law the NASA Authorization Bill passed by Congress last month. By authorizing NASA to spend $20.21 billion in fiscal year 2009, the bill represents a substantial increase of $2.6 billion over the administration's budget request for NASA earlier this year. 9/26/2008 - A New Paradigm for a New Vision of Space On the last week of September 2008 Louis Friedman, Executive Director of The Planetary Society, will travel to the International Astronomical Federation Congress in Scotland to propose a new paradigm for space exploration for the 21st century. In his presentation Friedman will argue that the ground is shifting beneath the space program in the United States and around the world, and we are entering an age of sever budgetary constraints. 8/18/2008 - U.S Presidential Candidates Release Space Policies Last week, the campaigns of both U.S. presidential candidates released documents detailing their policies for the U.S. space program. For our readers’ convenience, we present them here. 7/3/2008 - Budget Cuts Threaten Arecibo Observatory; The Planetary Society Continues the Fight on Capitol Hill The future of the Arecibo radio observatory, the largest and most sensitive radio telescope in the world, continues to hang in the balance. In 2007, the National Science Foundation (NSF), the agency that funds Arecibo, announced that it will drastically scale down support for the observatory over the coming years. According to current plans, by 2011 the NSF will cut funds from their current level of $10.4 million, to a mere $4 million. 6/27/2008 - Senate Committee Passes NASA Authorization Bill for 2009 On June 24, 2008, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation approved its version of a NASA Authorization Bill for 2009. The bill authorizes NASA to spend $20.35 billion, which is $140 million more than a similar bill passed by the full House last week. It is also $2.7 billion more than the administration's proposed budget for NASA. 6/21/2008 - Full House Passes NASA Authorization Bill for 2009 The U.S. House of Representatives has authorized NASA to spend $20.21 billion in fiscal year 2009, or $2.6 billion more than the administration's proposed budget. The authorization was contained in a bill proposed by the House Science and Technology Committee, and passed by the full House on Wednesday, June 18, 2008. In an impressive show of bipartisan support for NASA, the full House approved the Authorization Bill by a margin of 409 to 15. 6/3/2008 - Budgeting for a New Year, Preparing for a New Administration NASA's budget for fiscal year 2009 is currently making its way through the legislative process on Capitol Hill, and The Planetary Society is keeping a close watch over the proceedings. We seek sufficient funds that will allow NASA to pursue a balanced program of exploring space and observing Earth. 4/4/2008 - 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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