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• As president, Barack Obama will be authorized to make several crucial decisions about the direction of America's policy towards space exploration, particularly as regards the planned termination of the space shuttle program in 2010. The U.S. Government Accountability Office considers NASA's transition from shuttle construction to more costly and risky programs, such as the planned Constellation program, one of the largest challenges facing Obama's incoming administration.Scientific American: Future of the Space Program in Obama's Hands (November 14, 2008)

• Fast Facts

  1. Orlando Sentinel reports early tensions between Obama's incoming administration and current NASA chief Michael GriffinOrlando Sentinel: NASA has become a transition problem for Obama (December 10, 2008)
  2. Endorses restarting human-manned moon missions by 2020Space.com: Obama Faces Big NASA Decisions (November 10, 2008)
  3. Estimated NASA budget: $17.5 billion per yearHouston Chronicle: NASA chief doubts he'll keep job during Obama administration (November 13, 2008)
  4. Constellation can not be ready for manned flights before 2015Scientific American: Future of the Space Program in Obama's Hands (November 14, 2008)
  5. Obama has spoken about watching astronauts return from missions during his childhood in HawaiiYouTube: Barack Obama in Titusville, Florida

• Changes and Revisions

  Though Obama has committed himself to spearheading a "robust and balanced program of space exploration" that includes the Constellation program in official policy papers,Obamanauts: Official Obama Space Policy he had flirted with the notion of delaying the new system to pay for elements of his education program during his presidential campaign.Wired Science: Obama Pits Human Space Exploration Against Education (November 21, 2007) He later suspended this proposal to line his plans up more closely with those already formulated by NASA and his predecessor, George W. Bush.

• The Constellation Program

  The Constellation consists of an Orion spacecraft which will carry astronauts into orbit, the Altair spacecraft that will be used for descent and landings and a propulsion system combining two Ares rockets. The immediate goal of the program would be a manned lunar landing, but the system could theoretically be expanded to allow for missions to Mars, near-Earth asteroids or other planets. After the suspension of space shuttle launches in 2010, America will be without the wherewithal to launch manned space missions without aid from other countries, making it unable, for example, to send American astronauts to the International Space Station. Some politicians, particularly those with expertise on space and technology issues, have deemed this unacceptable.Scientific American: Future of the Space Program in Obama's Hands (November 14, 2008)

• Obama Space Policy Quote

  • "I believe NASA needs an inspirational vision for the 21st Century. My vision will build on the great goals set forth in recent years, to maintain a robust program of human space exploration and ensure the fulfillment of NASA’s mission."Obamanauts: Official Obama Space Policy

• Related Pages on Mahalo

  Barack Obama | NASA | NASA Constellation Program | International Space Station | Judd Gregg

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