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Proposed Changes to Nasa's Exploration Program

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Proposed Changes to Nasa's Exploration Program PROPOSED CHANGES TO NASA’S EXPLORATION PROGRAM: WHAT’S KNOWN, WHAT’S NOT, AND WHAT ARE THE ISSUES FOR CONGRESS? HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE AND AERONAUTICS COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION MARCH 24, 2010 Serial No. 111–91 Printed for the use of the Committee on Science and Technology ( Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.science.house.gov U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 55–848PDF WASHINGTON : 2010 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20402–0001 COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY HON. BART GORDON, Tennessee, Chair JERRY F. COSTELLO, Illinois RALPH M. HALL, Texas EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON, Texas F. JAMES SENSENBRENNER JR., LYNN C. WOOLSEY, California Wisconsin DAVID WU, Oregon LAMAR S. SMITH, Texas BRIAN BAIRD, Washington DANA ROHRABACHER, California BRAD MILLER, North Carolina ROSCOE G. BARTLETT, Maryland DANIEL LIPINSKI, Illinois VERNON J. EHLERS, Michigan GABRIELLE GIFFORDS, Arizona FRANK D. LUCAS, Oklahoma DONNA F. EDWARDS, Maryland JUDY BIGGERT, Illinois MARCIA L. FUDGE, Ohio W. TODD AKIN, Missouri BEN R. LUJA´ N, New Mexico RANDY NEUGEBAUER, Texas PAUL D. TONKO, New York BOB INGLIS, South Carolina STEVEN R. ROTHMAN, New Jersey MICHAEL T. MCCAUL, Texas JIM MATHESON, Utah MARIO DIAZ-BALART, Florida LINCOLN DAVIS, Tennessee BRIAN P. BILBRAY, California BEN CHANDLER, Kentucky ADRIAN SMITH, Nebraska RUSS CARNAHAN, Missouri PAUL C. BROUN, Georgia BARON P. HILL, Indiana PETE OLSON, Texas HARRY E. MITCHELL, Arizona CHARLES A. WILSON, Ohio KATHLEEN DAHLKEMPER, Pennsylvania ALAN GRAYSON, Florida SUZANNE M. KOSMAS, Florida GARY C. PETERS, Michigan JOHN GARAMENDI, California VACANCY SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE AND AERONAUTICS HON. GABRIELLE GIFFORDS, Arizona, Chair DAVID WU, Oregon PETE OLSON, Texas DONNA F. EDWARDS, Maryland F. JAMES SENSENBRENNER JR., MARCIA L. FUDGE, Ohio Wisconsin STEVEN R. ROTHMAN, New Jersey DANA ROHRABACHER, California BARON P. HILL, Indiana FRANK D. LUCAS, Oklahoma CHARLES A. WILSON, Ohio MICHAEL T. MCCAUL, Texas ALAN GRAYSON, Florida SUZANNE M. KOSMAS, Florida BART GORDON, Tennessee RALPH M. HALL, Texas RICHARD OBERMANN Subcommittee Staff Director PAM WHITNEY Democratic Professional Staff Member ALLEN LI Democratic Professional Staff Member KEN MONROE Republican Professional Staff Member ED FEDDEMAN Republican Professional Staff Member DEVIN BRYANT Research Assistant (II) C O N T E N T S March 24, 2010 Page Witness List ............................................................................................................. 2 Hearing Charter ...................................................................................................... 3 Opening Statements Statement by Representative Gabrielle Giffords, Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, Committee on Science and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives .................................................................................... 19 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 22 Statement by Representative Pete Olson, Ranking Minority Member, Sub- committee on Space and Aeronautics, Committee on Science and Tech- nology, U.S. House of Representatives ............................................................... 23 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 25 Witnesses: Mr. Douglas Cooke, Associate Administrator, Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 26 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 28 Mr. A. Thomas Young, Lockheed Martin (Ret.) Oral Statement ................................................................................................. 37 Written Statement ............................................................................................ 39 Discussion Use of FY 2010 Funds for Constellation Termination ...................................... 43 Status of Constellation Project ............................................................................ 44 Funding Termination of Constellation ............................................................... 45 NASA’s Inspirational Mission ............................................................................. 46 Future of NASA Workforce ................................................................................. 46 Cost of Ares I ........................................................................................................ 47 Net Change in Workforce .................................................................................... 47 Benefits of Privatization ...................................................................................... 48 Space as a National Security Asset .................................................................... 51 Collaboration on Budget ...................................................................................... 52 Weaknesses of Privatization ............................................................................... 53 Protecting NASA’s Acquired Expertise .............................................................. 54 Funding Termination of Constellation ............................................................... 55 Status of Tiger Teams .......................................................................................... 56 Filling the Human Spaceflight Gap .................................................................... 57 Delays to the Constellation ................................................................................. 57 Incremental Transition to Commercial .............................................................. 58 Planning for Termination .................................................................................... 59 Transitioning Constellation Infrastructure ........................................................ 59 Status of Commercial Cargo ............................................................................... 60 Termination of Orion Capsule ............................................................................. 60 Contractor Response ............................................................................................ 61 Composition of Future Panels ............................................................................. 61 Government Inadequacy at Technology Development ...................................... 62 Human Rating Requirements ............................................................................. 62 Efficiency of Government Plan ............................................................................ 63 Technology Development in Constellation ......................................................... 64 (III) IV Page Constellation PDR ................................................................................................ 65 Appendix 1: Answers to Post-Hearing Questions Mr. Douglas Cooke, Associate Administrator, Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, National Aeronautics and Space Administration ......................... 68 Mr. A. Thomas Young, Lockheed Martin (Ret.) .................................................... 77 Appendix 2: Additional Material for the Record Letter to The Honorable Gabrielle Giffords from Gary P. Pulliam, Vice Presi- dent, The Aerospace Corporation ........................................................................ 80 PROPOSED CHANGES TO NASA’S EXPLO- RATION PROGRAM: WHAT’S KNOWN, WHAT’S NOT, AND WHAT ARE THE ISSUES FOR CON- GRESS? WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2010 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE AND AERONAUTICS, COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Washington, DC. The Subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 2:00 p.m., in Room 2318 of the Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Gabrielle Giffords [Chairwoman of the Subcommittee] presiding. (1) 2 3 HEARING CHARTER SUBCOMMITTEE ON SPACE AND AERONAUTICS COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Proposed Changes to NASA’s Exploration Program: What’s Known, What’s Not, and What Are the Issues for Congress? MARCH 24, 2010 2P.M.–4P.M. 2318 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING I. Purpose On March 24, 2010 the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics will hold a hear- ing on the administration’s proposed changes to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) exploration program. At this hearing, the Subcommittee will examine: • The key elements of the proposed changes to the exploration program, includ- ing: (1) cancellation of the Constellation Program, (2) investment in the devel- opment of a new ‘‘commercial crew’’ space transport industry, (3) provision of additional funding to commercial space cargo demonstration [COTS] pro- viders; (4) establishment of a new research and technology program in sup- port of human exploration; and (5) plans to develop and conduct precursor robotic missions. • The status of the Constellation Program, including the results of the recent program level Preliminary Design Review; • The workforce, industrial base, and contractual implications of the adminis- tration’s proposed changes to NASA’s exploration program,
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