Says Romney Budget Would Mean Deep Cuts For The Space Program

In a letter targeted directly at aerospace workers in Florida, a pivotal swing state in next month's election, a group of former astronauts, academics, and consultants says President Obama has the best plan of action for the space program in general, and for Florida's Space Coast in particular. The letter was posted in its entirety on spaceref.com

The letter contends that when President Obama took office, he "inherited a human spaceflight program in crisis. The previous Administration's decision to retire the Space Shuttle by 2010 was exacerbated by the lack of a viable follow-on program. In 2009, an independent commission concluded that the program to replace the Shuttle suffered such significant underinvestment and was so behind schedule that the first crewed flight to the International Space Station (ISS) would not occur until more than a year after the ISS was planned to be deorbited into the ocean."

Those signing the letter describe "bold, swift action" on the part of the President to "put NASA on a sustainable path and support the growth of Florida's aerospace sector."

The letter goes on to say that budget plans proposed by Republican nominees Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan could "lead to some of the deepest percentage cuts to the space program since the end of the Apollo program. It's not just that Congressman Ryan voted against NASA Authorizations in 2008 and 2010, it's that their plan would undermine the bold vision that the President has outlined and a bipartisan Congress has advanced." They say Governor Romney has not "offered any new ideas for NASA."

What is missing from the letter are mentions of the cancellation of the Constellation program (pictured) to return American astronauts to the moon, and the lack of funding under the Obama administration for manned missions to meaningful destinations beyond low Earth orbit.

In January, a letter signed by a different group of stakeholders including business leaders and former astronauts said that Governor Romney would restore America's space program. "As president, Mitt Romney will facilitate close collaboration not only within the government’s civil and national security space sectors, but also with the private sector and with research institutions," that letter said. "He will create conditions for a strong and competitive commercial space industry that can contribute greatly to our national capabilities and goals. And he will ensure that NASA returns its focus to the project of manned space exploration that uniquely affirms American strength and values around the globe. Under his leadership, America will once again lead the world in space."

FMI: www.barackobama.com, www.mittromney.com, www.nasa.gov