Space - will we end up letting Russia have it?

[pidjones]

Been watching the Crew Dragon Demo 1, and wondering - if a Green New Deal goes through, what will it do to our space program?

 

[J-Rod10]

Been watching the Crew Dragon Demo 1, and wondering - if a Green New Deal goes through, what will it do to our space program?

Look at what has already happened to our space program. Obama demolished it. If it weren't for guys like Musk, it'd be nonexistent already.

 

[irk miller]

Look at what has already happened to our space program. Obama demolished it. If it weren't for guys like Musk, it'd be nonexistent already.

This isn't accurate. Obama proposed increasing NASA's budget (funding comes from Congress), but cut funding to the Constellation program. Similarly, Trump defunded ISS to divert funding towards a moon first program. If Obama doesn't cut funding to Constellation, then Elon Musk's program wouldn't exist.

 

[J-Rod10]

He shut the shuttle program down.

 

[irk miller]

He shut the shuttle program down.

Again, not totally accurate. The process for shutting down the shuttle program began in 2004, and it was intended to stay running only until ISS was complete. They had always intended to shut it down in 2010. The cost of launch, aging systems and honestly the Columbia disaster is what led to the demise of the shuttle program. It was a cost over benefit thing.

 

[irk miller]

If you want accurate information as to why the shuttle program was dismantled, you can find it here:

https://www.nasa.gov/columbia/home/CAIB_Vol1.html

 

[irk miller]

Here is where Bush announces a new direction of the space program, which began the process of shutting down the shuttle program:

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=13404

 

[1fasgsxr]

Didnt know it was ours to give away.

 

[sav0r]

From a military perspective we have untold amounts of hardware in space. Moreover, NASA is still world leading.

I get the SpaceX is doing impressive things, but they are a blip on the radar thus far, and as far as space science goes they aren't even a player. All they do is deliver goods to space. An obvious necessity, but one that would be filled one way or another.