Southeastern Space Supporter Newsletter of HAL5 – the Huntsville Alabama L5 Society chapter of the National Space Society 3 Volume 9, Number 3 — May–June 2000 S ________________________________________________________________________ So why have you not heard anyone NASA Budget Passes House FIRST WORD screaming?! Good question! SLI has Panel Uncontested been chosen as the pawn in a political (special to SPACE.com, 7-June-2000) U.S. Congress Zeros NASA’s game between NASA Administrator Dan Goldin and the U.S. House. To “Space Launch Initiative” NASA’s budget breezed through a address the problems cited in the (by Ronnie Lajoie, SSS Editor) House spending committee Wednesday recently released Mars Report, Dan with little discussion as legislators Goldin told the House Committee that The membership of HAL5 is not very grappled over funding for veterans and NASA’s 2001 budget must be raised politically active, preferring (based on housing programs. past membership surveys) to work on above the original requested level. Not surprisingly, the House said “Hell no!”. technical and educational projects. The Despite lingering concerns that the Goldin then told the House Committee time may soon come, however, when we House VA-HUD spending bill cuts new that he would have to cut a new program will once again be called upon to stand NASA programs such as the $290 because the Mars problem fixes would with our fellow NSS chapters. In fact, million Space Launch Initiative to take priority. The House obliged. as the strongest chapter in Region 5, research a replacement for the space HAL5 may be expected to lead such an shuttle, NASA appears to be in a strong effort for the southeastern United States. position to get more money this year. The very future of space transportation In a House Appropriations Committee has been recently threatened, when the hearing spent arguing over money for U.S. House of Representatives cut the housing and veterans’ health programs, budget for NASA’s new “Space Launch the final legislation was expected to pass Initiative” program (SLI). SLI is the with $13.7 billion set aside for the space product of a year-long intensive study agency. That’s a $113 million increase between NASA and industry called the over last year’s amount. Space Transportation Architecture Study (STAS). The SLI program is extremely The only tinkering to the NASA budget well thought out, and its cancellation came from Rep. George Nethercutt, who before its birth came as a major shock to offered an amendment to study whether NASA Marshall, the space industry, and to strengthen the agency’s research and all activists space organizations. analysis programs. The amendment HAL5 Program Night cites concerns that NASA has over- Word “on the street” is that there is a looked research and data analysis ac- Thursday, July 6, 2000 battle of wills going on, and all space tivities aimed at providing the scientific 7 to 8:30 p.m. (with social afterwards) activists have been told to wait to see questions that drive space-exploration Huntsville Public Library Auditorium how it plays out. In the meantime, we missions. The measure directs NASA to conduct a study with other agencies to “Future Generations of need to get prepared for what may be a consider strengthening those activities. Reusable Launch Vehicles” very frantic time in September. In this issue, I will share with you information The House Appropriations Committee Guest speaker will be Mr. Daniel on the Space Launch Initiative. I also adopted the measure by a voice vote. Davis, Deputy Program Manager, strongly encourage you to attend the NASA MSFC 2nd Generation RLV HAL5 talk on Thursday. Danny Davis, An amendment offered by Rep. Alan Program. Deputy Program Manager for NASA’s Mollohan to restore $300 million to the science and technology budget fell short All HAL5 and NSS members are 2nd Generation RLV Program, will provide us with the detailed background of passage along a 23 to 22 vote. That encouraged to attend, and to bring would have funded science and technol- interested friends and co-workers. information and plans for the SLI program. Ad Astra — we hope! ¶ ogy spending at $5.9 billion, the Open to the public. Free admission. president’s requested level. ¶ May–June 2000 SOUTHEASTERN SPACE SUPPORTER Clay Sawyer Chosen HAL5 HAL5 Elections on July 6 Huntsville Alabama L5 Society 2000 Professional of the Year President — Greg Allison Due to a conflict with the Professional of Day: 544-4440, Eve: 859-5538 On June 1, HAL5 members celebrated the Year Awards night (see previous Vice-President — Gladys Young the selection of Clay Sawyer, Jr. as its article), no HAL5 Program Night was Day: 852-0561, Eve: 852-0561 2000 Professional of the Year. The held on June 1, thus forcing a delay in Treasurer — Ronnie Lajoie Professional of the Year Awards is an our elections. The HAL5 Elections and Day: 971-3055, Eve: 721-1083 annual event at TABES sponsored by Program Night will be held on July 6. Secretary — Wade Dorland the Huntsville Association of Technical You must be present to vote — voting Day: 551-0008, Eve: 534-2566 Societies (HATS). by proxy is not allowed (yet) in HAL5. Membership — Philomena Grodzka Please attend. Refreshments will be Day: 536-8638, Eve: 536-8638 provided. ¶ Communications — Ellen Cozelos Day: 726-6387, Eve: 883-4873 ---------------------------------------- Southeastern Space Supporter Volume 9, Number 3 May / June 2000 The Southeastern Space Supporter is a bimonthly publication of the Huntsville Alabama L5 Society (HAL5), a not-for- profit 501(c)(3) organization devoted to the goal of seeing everyday people living in thriving communities beyond the Earth. Any opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors or of the Editor, and, unless expressly so stated, are not necessarily those of HAL5 or the NSS. Visit the HAL5 Web Page on Internet via: http://hiwaay.net/~hal5/ ---------------------------------------- HAL5 encourages its members to speak out on space-related issues, and welcome Clay Sawyer receives his Professional of the Year Award at TABES 2000 submissions of both fact and opinion articles of interest to HAL5 members. Clay joined HAL5 in 1996 and served as NSS Publishes Roadmap Submit letters or articles to: Ronnie Lajoie Secretary (1998-9). He has led much of (by Ronnie Lajoie, NSS Roadmap Chair) 162 Kirby Lane, Madison, AL 35757 the electronics work for HAL5’s Project Day phone/message: 256-461-5934 HALO. In 1996, he developed the At the 2000 ISDC, NSS presented its rocket avionics module for the first Night/Weekend phone: 256-721-1083 “NSS Statement of Philosophy” and its ground launch (GL-1). In 1997, Clay FAX number: 256-461-3045 “Roadmap to the Stars”. These two developed the rocket avionics module Electronic mail address: [email protected] products were the result of the NSS for the historic Sky Launch 1 rocket. In Policy Summit held in September 1999, Deadline for submittal is the last day of the 1998, he (along with Gene Young) followed by many review cycles to get following months: February, April, June, developed the rocket avionics module feedback from every member of the NSS August, October, and December. for the current Sky Launch 2 rocket. leadership. Clay is also an advocate for space Preferred format for plain text is ASCII education, and in 1999, he gave a (text with graphics is MS Word or The “NSS Statement of Philosophy” is HALO slide presentation and led a one- WordPerfect) either sent by E-mail or on a included as a 4-page insert in this PC diskette. Also acceptable are letters and day HALO Achievement class. newsletter. Please pull it out and use it articles sent by mail or faxed; however, the to remind yourself and to tell others more retyping required, the less likely the Clay has been a great asset to our society what the NSS is all about. You can see acceptance. HAL5 is not responsible for and is considering serving again as the NSS Roadmap at this URL: receipt of mailed submissions; none will be HAL5 Secretary for the 2000-1 time returned unless sent with a SASE. Hand- frame. Please consider voting for him in http://www.nss.org/future/ delivered diskettes will be hand-returned. the upcoming elections on July 6. ¶ NSS%Roadmap.html No compensation is paid for submissions. May–June 2000 2 SOUTHEASTERN SPACE SUPPORTER 2nd Generation RLV Program based on what’s been going over the the knowledge gained from Shuttle previous six years or so in the RLV upgrades,” he explains. Will Prepare Roadbed for program. We learned in some cases ‘Highway to Space’ how to do things and in other cases how The Space Launch Initiative (from Web site: http://stp.msfc.nasa.gov/) not to do things. Now, we need to take the next step, the second generation The second generation RLV program, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center program,” Dumbacher said. the centerpiece of NASA and the in Huntsville, Alabama, is leading an Administration’s “Space Launch Initia- effort to help NASA get into space more 2nd Generation RLV Competition tive,” is a result of NASA’s industry-led safely and for less money in the future Space Transportation Architecture than it does today using the Space Dumbacher believes the second genera- Studies in 1998 and 1999 and NASA’s Shuttle. tion program will bring expanded Integrated Space Transportation Plan knowledge to industry and government developed in the fall of 1999. In addi- “We are preparing the roadbed for the when NASA conducts a second- tion to the second generation program, ‘highway’ on which the next generation generation RLV competition in 2005.