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Capitol Comment
by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
America Must Renew Its Commitment to Leadership in Space
October 3, 2008
As our nation celebrates the 50th Anniversary of NASA, we face enormous challenges to our international leadership in space exploration, including a potential 5 year gap in American manned spaceflight. America must renew its commitment to NASA and technology innovation so that we do not relinquish our leadership role in space.
In the 21st Century, America’s supremacy in space is no longer a foregone conclusion. The rapid expansion of the Chinese Space Program is clear evidence that China is taking meaningful steps toward global technology leadership. The nation launched its first lunar orbiter in 2006, and China has continued to achieve new milestones since then. In September 2008, the first Chinese astronaut walked in space, completing the country’s most ambitious mission to date. China has also announced plans to put a man on the moon.
Half a century ago, our nation was similarly poised to fall behind in space. On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the Sputnik satellite and rocketed past the U.S. in the space race. But America's ingenuity was dramatically harnessed by President Eisenhower, who helped spearhead major investments in science and engineering. NASA officially launched operations on October 1, 1958. Less than three years later, President Kennedy solidified America’s space ambition when he formally set the goal of putting a man on the moon within a decade. That goal was achieved when members of the Apollo 11 crew stepped onto the lunar surface on July 20, 1969.
Over these past 50 years, NASA’s technology has positively impacted life on earth and expanded the knowledge of our planet and the universe. The space program has advanced innovations that have greatly improved our daily lives — from personal computers to heart monitors, from ultrasound scanners to laser surgery. NASA’s space exploration has inspired generations of young people to aspire to new heights. It has spurred Americans to build on those dreams and embark on academic and professional careers that enhance our nation’s leadership and make us more competitive on the world stage.
Now, NASA faces one of its greatest challenges since the inception of the space mission. With the space shuttle scheduled for retirement in 2010, and a replacement not expected until 2015, our nation faces a five year gap in continuous space flight during which we’ll have no way to launch American astronauts into space on an American spacecraft. Instead, we’ll have to rely on Russia to get our own scientists and astronauts to the International Space Station, which has been designated a National Laboratory. And there is no guarantee that a cooperative and mutually beneficial partnership with Russia will always exist. Dependence on Russia could jeopardize our access to the Space Station during the crucial early years of its operational life.
Our national security depends on our ability to explore space without relying on nations who may not always have our best interests at heart. Thankfully, Congress recently took action to help prevent such a scenario.
In September, the Senate passed the NASA Reauthorization bill, which will help America maintain control of its space destiny. The bill ensures that NASA will receive adequate funding for the development of a commercial crew vehicle. It will help reduce the space gap by accelerating delivery of next generation space vehicles, Ares and Orion and, if necessary, keep the space shuttle flying beyond 2010. Additionally, after expending so many valuable resources to build the Space Station, this bill calls for a comprehensive plan to utilize the station after its expected completion in 2015 and through 2020 so we can continue to reap the benefits of this significant investment.
This year marks 50 years of American space exploration, with NASA boldly at the helm. Our own Johnson Space Center near Houston is where much of the research and technology is developed, where astronauts train, and where the command center resides. It has been a huge economic boost for Texas to have NASA scientists and engineers live in our state. We must renew our commitment to NASA and work to overcome the political and technological challenges of the 21st Century.
Kay Bailey Hutchison is the Ranking Member on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.
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