President Trump has shown encouraging support for America’s leadership in space, signing the bipartisan NASA Transition and Authorization Act of 2017 that provides for a healthy, balanced program, as well as the 2017 omnibus spending bill, providing needed funds to carry out existing programs. More recently, he signed an Executive Order reestablishing the National Space Council, and Vice President Pence visited the Kennedy Space Center just last week to emphasize the administration’s support for a robust American future in space.
This welcome attention to space policy across NASA’s portfolio appears to continue policies that support ongoing operations in low Earth orbit while doubling down on those needed to explore beyond it.
{mosads}NASA will return to flying astronauts to the International Space Station-(ISS) for the first time in six years through service contracts with American companies. NASA will build and test the new SpaceLaunch System (SLS) and Orion crew vehicle, enabling human missions to the Moon and Mars and other destinations, returning American to deep space for the first time in 45 years. NASA will launch the James Webb Telescope, further opening the universe to human knowledge and understanding. NASA will pursue other unique missions and opportunities, adding to its unmatched history of achievements.
The administration’s budget request for 2018 makes some course corrections, but sustains essential developments in cargo and crew transportation to ISS and SLS/Orion/Ground Systems developments for deep space exploration, including a flat five year budget runout. It challenges NASA to find efficiencies and expand opportunities for collaboration to reduce cost. NASA’s challenge to become more efficient is serious, as the agency must drive significant reductions in institutional overhead, streamline procurement strategies, streamline programmatic and technical requirements and maintain basic safety and budgetary accountability. NASA and industry must ensure that their A-Teams are working at all levels on its technically challenging programs.
Trump has characteristically challenged NASA to be more aggressive in planning for missions, to invigorate government and industry with new energy in achieving great goals. As the administration continues to put its team in place, focuses on finding efficiencies, and establishes a roadmap for future missions, the long-term budget outlook must be revisited with adjustments as plans mature. If the budget remains flat, however, NASA’s ability to achieve aggressive goals for the nation will be limited.
It is very significant that the president and Congress are more closely aligned onspace priorities than in recent years. Congress has historically been non-partisan in providing for NASA programs. With Trump pushing further in these directions, there is greater potential for progress.
A return to the “regular order,” where budgets are passed on time each year is crucial. Continuing resolutions and other imposed delays reduce efficiency and agility in program execution.
The envisioned National Space Council, with its goal of developing a strategy to better leverage space-related assets across the government, should support an integrated, forward-looking national space policy to enable bold endeavors while promoting programmatic stability and fiscal efficiency both now and in the future.
Within this environment, further development of a roadmap for human space exploration missions can lead to an exciting future of exploration, commerce and scientific discovery. Including long-standing exploration community stakeholders — government, academia, industry and international partners — in establishing the questions and objectives that shape these missions will encourage the best ideas to be considered, will greatly enhance mission achievements, and will enable broad “ownership” of the goals and plans.
Our American space program does not belong to just a single agency. NASA can and must lead the way, and exploration, science and commerce in space must proceed in partnership.
Making the most progress and best use of resources will require all elements of the space community to work amicably together and to contribute to the innovation and capabilities needed. To fulfill the vision of the new administration, a renewed commitment to more aggressive goals that are pursued with greater energy and efficiency is needed — a change that is long past due. In the near future our space program must return to flying astronauts to Earth orbit and beyond — to the Moon and Mars.
NASA is ready. America is ready. Let us build on capabilities currently in development. With strategic implementation let’s ensure the necessary levels of funding and commitment across government and industry to drive our space program forward in technology and innovation. Doing so will throw open the door to an optimistic future as we rebuild and strengthen American world leadership in space.
Doug Cooke is on the Board of Advisors of the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration. Cooke is an aerospace consultant with over 43 years’ experience in human space flight programs, advising companies and government on program strategies, program management, proposal development, strategic planning and technical matters.
The views expressed by contributors are their own and are not the views of The Hill.