A Closer Look at VP Pence's Space Speech
Remarks by Vice President Pence at the 34th Space Symposium Colorado Springs, CO
“You know, since day one of our administration, President Trump has been working to keep his promise to restore America’s proud legacy of leadership in space, because the President knows that space exploration is essential to our national security, it’s essential to our nation’s prosperity. But the President and I also understand it is essential to the very character of America. The work each of you do in the skies and in space supports our armed forces, spurs scientific discovery, drives innovation, helps America’s farmers feed the world, creates the jobs of the future, and fills the rising generation with wonder and pride. The companies represented here today, and the thousands of American companies that form your supply chains, employ men and women in all 50 states – men and women who helped build the most advanced rockets, spaceships, and satellites in the world.”
Keep that pork flowing by being sure to mention jobs “in all 50 states”.
That’s a common criticism, and it’s unfair. More importantly, it is unrealistic.
First: Unless and until space activity gains a higher spot in the national consciousness, we will need to appeal to every single Congressional vote.
Second: Space activity is the very definition of pork.
Third: There is a price to be paid when asking our fellow citizens to support something that they don’t give a s**t about. Either pay the price, or go away. High-sounding platitudes won’t cut it in this arena.
[And, yes, I guess I feel cranky this morning].
Which is probably why the talk by Commerce Secretary Wilber Ross is significant as a followup to the remarks by the Vice President. It shows that this Administration has the priorities for space right, first set up an enabling regulatory regime for space commerce, then ensure space security, then worry about NASA since SLS/Orion shows it is becoming the least important factor in American space leadership.
https://www.geekwire.com/20…
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross lays out his plan to streamline space regulations
by Alan Boyle on April 17, 2018 at 10:42 am
“The Commerce Department will also set up a “mission authorization framework” that will cover all commercial space activities — other than national security missions and spectrum issues that are regulated by the Federal
Communications Commission.
“Such a framework will provide U.S. industry with the government stamp of approval needed to embark on novel, non-traditional opportunities in space that
require significant investment,” Ross said.
He said such opportunities range from satellite servicing and refueling to in-space manufacturing, space tourism, asteroid mining and lunar habitation.
The department is also preparing a new policy on export regulations, which has been a longtime sticking point for space ventures. Recommendations for changes are due by the end of this year.”
Folks will stop paying attention to what NASA and Huntsville want when Elon Musk is offering weekly flights to a lunar settlement.
I am a little concerned about the part about developing “the first comprehensive space traffic management policy.” He’s talking about the orbital debris issues, and getting serious about mitigating them. That’s something that needs to be done, but it also needs to be done right. Poorly thought-out regulations along these lines could hurt, if not kill, low-cost small satellite projects.
Yes, and it looks like there is going to be a good old bureaucratic turf war over the problem of space debris as the FCC thinks that mitigating space debris is their job, even though there appears to be no directive on it.
http://spacenews.com/fcc-co…
FCC commissioner questions regulator’s omission from National Space Council
by Caleb Henry
April 17, 2018
“Rosenworcel said space debris, a topic Vice President Michael Pence addressed in a speech Monday at the 34th Space Symposium, is a topic the FCC “needs to tackle.” The FCC weighs space debris concerns when licensing satellites to use radiofrequency spectrum in the United States.”
Recall that the only reason Swarm was denied a license was because their satellites would be “hard to track” and would create a space debris risk.
But the “in all 50 states” thing isn’t actually true. The bulk of the spending goes to just a few Congressional districts, let alone states.
That and NASA could be doing so much more in crewed spaceflight without SLS/Orion hanging around its neck like an albatross. The lost opportunity cost is absolutely staggering. The private sector has proven it can produce launch vehicles and crewed capsules for about 1/10th the cost of what NASA cost models predict. Unfortunately, SLS/Orion is blowing way past their cost and schedule estimates. The latest delay to the exploration upper stage is absolutely mind boggling. Until that starts flying, SLS can’t do much more than a Falcon Heavy at about 10x the price and at a lower flight rate to boot.
Again, the lost opportunity costs from right now until first flight of SLS with an exploration upper stage is absolutely staggering.
“Laughable” is my favorite word.
“The latest delay to the exploration upper stage is absolutely mind boggling. “
Not to the rocket barons (Musk and Bezos). I suspect they are salivating. Have you seen the new Blue Origin plant at the Cape? The tools SpaceX is using for the BFR? Let me quote Darth Vader: “Impressive.”
Musk is going the opposite direction of 50 state patronage. He wants to do everything in-house.
“But the President and I …” that’s quite telling. either he doesn’t have a good speech writer (“Further …” or “More importantly …” would be better than “But …”) or they don’t realise the significance of “But” (along the lines “those things we’ve just are less important than the next thing”).