Fri, Mar 13, 2009
Agency Needs An "Appropriate" Mission... And An
Administrator
During an interview this week with the Los Angeles Times,
President Barack Obama gave his opinion on NASA's current vision...
or rather, the lack of same.
Saying the space agency now suffers from "a sense of drift,"
Obama told the paper what NASA needs is a "mission that is
appropriate for the 21st century."
As ANN reported, Obama's FY2009 budget for
NASA -- signed into law Wednesday -- allocated $18.7 billion to
NASA in fiscal year 2009, representing an increase of $2.4 billion
over FY2008 figures. The budget package calls for the retirement of
the space shuttle program in 2010, renewed exploration of earth's
moon, and sending more robotic probes to previous unexplored areas
of our solar system.
Those ambitious projects are temporarily on hold, however, until
Obama appoints a new administrator for the agency. The last person
to hold the job, Michael Griffin -- appointed to the role in 2005
by President Bush -- handed in his resignation days before of
Obama's inauguration.
"Shaping a mission for NASA that is appropriate for the 21st
century is going to be one of the biggest tasks of my new NASA
director," Obama said. "What I don't what NASA to do is just limp
along. And I don't think that's good for the economy in the region
either."
Obama says he will name that new NASA administrator soon... one
able "to think through what NASA's core mission is and what the
next great adventures and discoveries are under the NASA
banner."
For the past two months, NASA Associate Administrator
Christopher Scolese has overseen the agency's day-to-day
operations. Several names have been floated as possible candidates
for the top job... including former astronaut Charles F. Bolden,
and retired USAF General J. Scott Gration.
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