U.S. President Barack Obama’s decision to cut NASA’s manned Constellation lunar mission program and invest $6 billion in commercial launch companies to replace the retiring Space Shuttle has drawn sharp divisions between NASA and commercial industry supporters over what role the industry will play in the future.
    The U.S. Commercial Spaceflight Federation welcomed the President’s decision, which was announced as part of the U.S. government’s 2010 fiscal year budget, released Feb. 1. “The commercial crew initiative will create thousands of new high-tech jobs, help open the space frontier with lower-cost launches, and inspire a new generation with high-profile missions. This initiative is on par with the government Airmail Act that spurred the growth of early aviation and led to today’s passenger airline industry, which generates billions of dollars annually for the American economy,” said Bretton Alexander, president of the Federation.
    Alexander joined a panel of commercial space company CEOs to discuss the benefits that the new budget may bring to the domestic private space industry, which has, in recent years, suffered due to lack of political support and strong international competition. “Investing in commercial spaceflight will allow us to create U.S. jobs, rather than continuing to send billions of dollars to Russia to fly our astronauts to space. With so many capable American companies here at home, why would we send all of U.S. human spaceflight to Russia? Let’s create those thousands of jobs right here in the United States,” said Alexander.
   SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, whose company was contracted by NASA in December 2008 to transport supplies to the International Space Station under the COTS program, also voiced support for the President’s budgetary plan while criticizing NASA’s political support. “People should be relieved. It is important to separate comments from vested interests from people who cannot be swayed by any rational argument and believe that the answer has to be that funding continues in their district,” said Musk. SpaceX will be ready to fly humans into space in three years for about $20 million a seat, the company said, which will open the door to America’s future as a true spacefaring nation.
   Strong opposition to NASA cuts came from both sides of the aisle and from both houses of Congress. “I am not satisfied that what the President is proposing to do with these funds is better than simply going forward with the Constellation Program,” U.S. Appropriations Committee member Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio), said. “… But the introduction of the President’s budget is only the beginning of what will be a very lengthy budget process, and I will do everything in my power to ensure NASA and its 3,500 civil servants and contractors are not forgotten.”
   Voinovich was joined by Democrats in voicing displeasure. Rep. Suzanne Komas (D-Fla.), said her constituents were not happy. “The president’s proposal lacks a bold vision for space exploration and begs for the type of leadership that he has described as critical for inspiring innovation for the 21st century.”
   Some commercial companies also joined the President’s critics with their own concerns. ATK, one of NASA’s major contracted manufacturers for the Constellation’s Ares 1-X rocket, defended the program and vowed to fight the decision in a company statement, released Feb. 2. “It is not clear why at this time the nation would consider abandoning a program of such historic promise and capability – with so much invested. Ares is meeting all major milestones. The Ares I launch vehicle is an innovative and now proven design with an overriding concern for crew safety,” the company said. “In the weeks and months ahead we are hopeful that the Congress and Administration will work together to deliver a budget that supports a program that capitalizes on the investments the nation has made in the Constellation program, closes the gap in U.S. capability to return to space, and best assures continued U.S. leadership in space.”