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From: davidson@sdcsvax.UUCP (J. Greg Davidson)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: NASA & New Space Technology
Message-ID: <1287@sdcsvax.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 10-Jan-86 04:25:10 EST
Article-I.D.: sdcsvax.1287
Posted: Fri Jan 10 04:25:10 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 13-Jan-86 01:00:01 EST
References: <8512312026.AA15784@s1-b.arpa> <70@dg_rtp.UUCP> <1274@sdcsvax.UUCP> <1321@ames.UUCP>
Reply-To: davidson@sdcsvax.UUCP (J. Greg Davidson)
Distribution: net
Organization: EECS Dept. U.C. San Diego
Lines: 28

I'm sorry my last article cast NASA in a bad light.  I support NASA's
space program actively; writing letters to politicians, donating money
to SpacePac, etc.  I appreciate what research NASA has been able to do
on alternatives space technology; the conferences that the agency has
sponsored, the development the agency has been able to do on tethers
and ion rockets, etc.

Nevertheless, NASA is caught in the middle of some very nasty, short
sighted politics.  Since the space program is in its infancy, each
mission should be as committed to advancing space technology and the
space infrastructure, as it is to the immediate scientific, military
or commercial payoff.  Unfortunately, it seems to be as difficult to
explain this to scientists as it is to congressmen.

I think its very important to spread the word throughout the technical
community (and everywhere else) that there is much more to be done than
NASA is currently being allowed to do.  Chemical rockets are just not
going to get us where we want to go.  The money being spent by SSI,
the WSF and CalSpace combined are tiny compared to NASA's R&D efforts,
yet they've been very helpful in keeping ideas alive when programs have
had to be terminated at NASA.

As the space advocacy movement continues to grow, we build the grassroots
support for a more active and daring space program.  Its a long haul, but
bootstrapping is what space development is all about.  Space starts only
200 miles away; its just in an awkward direction!

_Greg