The reports on the “death” of America’s manned space program are greatly exaggerated.  Contrary to the opinions of some, I think the new budget proposal for NASA is a much-needed course correction that brings the agency back to a focus on its core strengths – research, development, and exploration.

Yes, the Constellation Program will be canceled. The Ares I and V booster rockets and the Orion crew exploration vehicle are going away. The Space Shuttle will be retired as scheduled.  In their place will be a robust commercial Low Earth Orbit capability built on the premise of multiple providers competing to provide NASA the best offer for services.  NASA will also fund a significant heavy-lift R&D program, likely based out of Marshall Space Flight Center, to develop “game changing” and affordable new rocket technologies.

Don’t just take my word for it, though.  Go look at the proposal for yourself.  NASA has posted it all to their website.

FY 2011 Budget Overview (PDF)

NASA – FY 2011 Budget Documents and Statements

At the top level, NASA is getting an overall increase of $6 billion over the next five years.  Rather than being a provider of launch services to itself, NASA will instead pursue an Exploration Research & Development strategy with three main prongs:

1. $7.8 billion over five years for technology demonstrators, including in-orbit refueling and storage.
2. $3.1 billion over five years for heavy-lift and propulsion R&D
3. $3.0 billion over five years for robotic precursor missions

The Technology Demonstrator program will evaluate such ‘critical path’ technologies as in-orbit propellant transfer and storage, inflatable
modules, automated/autonomous rendezvous and docking, and closed-loop life support systems.

The Heavy-Lift and Propulsion R&D will target “new approaches” to first-stage propulsion, advanced in-space propulsion, and “foundational” propulsion research.

The Robotic Precursor Missions will expand our practice of “scouting” locations for future manned exploration with new robotic missions to the Moon, Mars and its moon, the Lagrange points, and Near Earth asteroids.  Examples might include telerobotic demonstrators on the Moon and automated processing of lunar and/or asteroid local resources.

Additionally, NASA is committing to an extension of the ISS Program to 2020 with a budget increase of $2 billion over four years.  The Human Research Program itself will see a 42% budget increase and the National Laboratory function will be expanded.  In the interest of full disclosure, I will remind everyone that I support the ISS National Lab Office.

NASA is also investing $6 billion over the next five years in commercial cargo and human spaceflight vehicles.  While all such providers will be required to meet NASA’s safety standards, funds will be awarded through competitive allocations, instead of the cost-plus contracts so common today.

Earth and Climate Science missions, Planetary Science missions, Astrophysics, Heliophysics, Aeronautics, and Education will all be sustained at current levels or their budgets increased.

Before I moved to the ISS Program, I actually worked on the Constellation Program.  As Administrator Bolden himself said, they are some of the finest people I’ve ever had the privilege of working with and they did a heck of a job with often untenable constraints.

However, I do think Jim Kohlenberger from the Office of Science and Technology Policy was right when he said that we shouldn’t throw another $50 billion at an unsustainable program just because we already spent $9 billion on it.

I think this new proposal is exactly what the spaceflight community needs.  It’s a fundamental change in the way we operate and a kickstart to really start innovating again.  This is not “Apollo on steroids,” nor should it be.  We don’t have the budget for that and we never did.  We have to learn to adapt or get out of the way of those who can.  I’m excited to see what we can accomplish.

Again, don’t just take my word for it.  Check out what Buzz Aldrin has to say.

Today I wish to endorse strongly the President’s new direction for NASA. As an Apollo astronaut, I know the importance of always pushing new frontiers as we explore space. The truth is, that we have already been to the Moon – some 40 years ago. A near-term focus on lowering the cost of access to space and on developing key, cutting-edge technologies to take us further, faster, is just what our Nation needs to maintain its position as the leader in space exploration for the rest of this century. We need to be in this for the long haul, and this program will allow us to again be pushing the boundaries to achieve new and challenging things beyond Earth. I hope NASA will embrace this new direction as much as I do, and help us all continue to use space exploration to drive prosperity and innovation right here on Earth.

I also believe the steps we will be taking following the President’s direction will best position NASA and other space agencies to send humans to Mars and other exciting destinations as quickly as possible. To do that, we will need to support many types of game-changing technologies NASA and its partners will be developing. Mars is the next frontier for humankind, and NASA will be leading the way there if we aggressively support the President’s plans.

Finally, I am excited to think that the development of commercial capabilities to send humans into low earth orbit will likely result in so many more earthlings being able to experience the transformative power of spaceflight. I can personally attest to the fact that the experience results in a different perspective on life on Earth, and on our future as a species. I applaud the President for working to make this dream a reality.

There will be more than enough work to go around for all the centers, so we shouldn’t let parochial concerns stop us from doing the right thing for the country as a whole.  We have an opportunity here to really make some progress on transforming humanity into a spacefaring species with a sustainable presence in space.  Let’s not waste it.
Cross-posted at A World With No Boundaries.