Houston, You Have a Problem

Over the next three years the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is undergoing a critical transition by retiring the Space Shuttle program while completing construction of the International Space Station (ISS) by 2010. During this timeframe, NASA is undertaking its most complex and costly acquisition program, termed Constellation, to provide a Space Shuttle replacement capability by 2011 followed by subsequent lunar missions by 2018 in preparation for Mars missions. This paper demonstrates why NASA should restructure its proposed manned spaceflight program to ensure the success of NASA’s future manned spaceflight program following the retirement of the Space Shuttle program in 2010. The arguments outlined in this paper for proposed restructure of NASA’s future manned spaceflight program center on several key elements: national interest, prohibitive cost, manned spaceflight risk and contributions to science and exploration. The recommendations focus on ensuring long-term viability and success of future US manned space programs.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.