By apsmith, Section News Posted on Fri Sep 12, 2003 at 11:03:39 AM PST
Congressman Nick Lampson with 26 co-sponsors on September 10 submitted H.R. 3057, the "Space Exploration Act of 2003", to provide the much called-for vision and goals for the future of human spaceflight at NASA. This bill outlines a series of incremental steps for human spaceflight, supporting a vigorous outward-looking program of both robotic and human space exploration in our solar system.
The steps and milestones specified by the act include:
Development (by 2012) of a reusable vehicle for human travel around Earth's neighborhood, including to lunar orbit, Earth-Moon libration points, and the Earth-Sun libration points (where large next-generation telescopes are likely to be placed).
Development (by 2014) and demonstration of a reusable vehicle for travel to and rendezvous with Earth-crossing asteroids.
Development (by 2019) and demonstration of a reusable vehicle for travel to the lunar surface, and deployment of a human-tended station on the Moon.
Development (by 2024) of a reusable vehicle for travel to Mars, and another for travel from Martian orbit to the surface and back; deployment of a base on a Martian moon.
More commentary on the bill is available from Space Daily.
The Bill has been referred to the House Science Committee. A similar bill was submitted by Lampson and a much smaller group of co-sponsors last year, but died in the Science Committee. If you think this is good legislation, write your congressman and senators, especially members of the Science Committee, and tell them you support this! And write to thank those representatives who are already co-sponsors. This could mark a very important change in NASA's mission and objectives.
Bookmark this story with del.icio.us
Digg this story
Furl this item
Have you Reddit?