Testimony Highlighted Role Of Entrepreneurs In Space
Jeff Greason, President
and CEO of XCOR Aerospace testified at a public hearing before the
President's Commission on Implementation of U.S. Space Exploration
Policy (Moon, Mars and Beyond) in Atlanta at the Georgia Institute
of Technology. The Commission, also known as the Aldridge
Commission, is comprised of business, aerospace and planetary
science leaders. The Commission is charged with building consensus,
providing recommendations to the President regarding moon research
activities, increasing young people's interest in space science,
and bringing together industry and other countries as space
partners.
Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), Chairman of the House Science
Committee, said on March 4th: "This is about a lot more than 'joy
rides' in space, although there's nothing wrong with such an
enterprise. This is about the future of the U.S. aerospace
industry. As in most areas of American enterprise, the greatest
innovations in aerospace are most likely to come from small
entrepreneurs. This is true whether we're talking about launching
humans or cargo." Mr. Greason's testimony echoed the Chairman's
statements.
Mr. Greason testified about the role entrepreneurial space
companies can play in advancing President Bush's space exploration
initiative by developing affordable and sustainable access to
space. Highlights of Gleason's testimony included:
"I am here today
because I have seen signs of hope. There is an awareness that we
cannot succeed by re-creating Apollo. When President Kennedy set
America on a course for the Moon, America had launched one human
being on a fifteen-minute suborbital flight. It is very likely that
before this year is out, one or more private companies will launch
human beings on suborbital flights with private funding, as part of
the X-Prize Foundation effort."
"Like many emerging companies in the field XCOR currently does
work for the Department of Defense, but not NASA. NASA can play a
pivotal role in encouraging private, low-cost access to space. NASA
can position itself to grow with the private sector very simply, by
buying space transportation services available in the commercial
market. That is a simple role with profound implications. I believe
that NASA should use commercial providers as its sole means of
transportation to Earth orbit."
"If the exploration initiative falters, there will be no
business to compete for. If NASA continues business as usual, that
is where we are headed. America can afford to dare and do great
things, but we have to do it as exploration has been done
throughout history; by working with what we have, by living off the
land where possible, and by building expensive custom equipment
only when nothing else can do the job. That is the true spirit of
exploration and an endeavor XCOR would be proud to be part of."