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Projects: Space Advocacy

"Roadmap to Space" Makes the Rounds among Washington Decision Makers

December 12, 2008

Send this to a friend or share it at: Slashdot - Digg this - Reddit - Del.icio.us - Newsvine - NowPublic Click to enlarge > Beyond the Moon Cover of Beyond the Moon: A New Roadmap for Human Space Exploration in the 21st Century Credit: The Planetary Society

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.

On December 3 Friedman met with members of President-Elect Obama's NASA transition team to discuss the Roadmap. The meeting took place at the transition team's offices at NASA headquarters, and was attended by team-leader Lori Garver, George Whitesides, and Ed Heffernan.

At the meeting Friedman presented the key elements of the Roadmap, including establishing a global space exploration partnership, focusing on Mars as the driving goal of human spaceflight with a step-by-step approach towards this goal, deferring the human landings on the Moon, and an increased emphasis on Earth observations. In addition, said Friedman, "we discussed budget implications of some of the recommendations, the shuttle retirement, and the several-year gap in American rocket launches to the Space Station." Following the discussions, the Roadmap became a part of the transition team's official documentation.”The transition team identifies key issues for the new Administration,” said Friedman.  “The Roadmap contributes greatly to that, and I highly appreciated the attention they gave to it.”

Along with his meeting with representatives of the incoming Administration, Friedman also presented the Roadmap to two different panels of the National Academy of Sciences. One, headed by Charles Kennel, chairman of the Space Science Board, is concerned with international cooperation in space.International cooperation is one of the key recommendations in the Roadmap. The other panel is conducting a high-level review of U.S. civil space policy, and is headed by retired Air Force General Lester Lyles. Over the years the National Academy has played a central role in determining the priorities of the space program, and the Academy's support could be crucial for implementing the Roadmap's recommendations.

The Society has also been making the rounds on Capitol Hill, working hard to interest leading members of Congress in the future of space exploration. The roadmap was given to key Congressional staffers and other officials working on space policy and budget. "Next year," said Friedman, "we intend to present the Roadmap to Congress for consideration.

“The decisions made by the new Administration will set the course for human space flight for decades, said Friedman.  “We’ve given them a roadmap, and a destination that can inspire a whole new generation for that time.”