Congress Will Be Watching Closely As It Ponders NASA's Direction

March 22 could be a make-or-break day for not only the fledgling commercial space company SpaceX, but also for the fate of NASA's budget before the United States Congress. That is the day the 154-foot-tall Falcon 9 rocket is set to be launched for the first time from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

Falcon 9, which was built with an infusion of $234 million from NASA, is the vehicle the space agency hopes to use to transport supplies to ISS after the shuttle retires following four more missions this year. Until the U.S. has a reliable launch vehicle, NASA will be looking to Russia to carry supplies and crew to the orbiting outpost.

"There's a lot riding on the maiden flight of Falcon 9 …" said NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden in a brief interview Tuesday, adding that SpaceX must prove that it can "safely get to orbit" and eventually dock with the station. "Those tests are critical."

Falcon 9 File Photo

The Orlando Sentinel cites an aerospace executive who was not authorized to speak to the media due to a potential conflict of interest as saying "If they go down the tubes, we all go with them."

President Obama scrapped the Constellation moon rocket program in his FY2011 budget, but should the Falcon 9 test fail, it's allies will no doubt step up their efforts to have the program reinstated. The White House reportedly is keen on private companies ferrying cargo, and eventually astronauts to space. SpaceX has gone so far as to put viewports in its Dragon capsule, hoping for that opportunity.

But many on Capitol Hill question whether it is prudent to put all of the nations' space eggs in the commercial basket, particularly when the systems are not proven and $9 billion has already been spent on the Constellation program. "They [SpaceX executives] are saying they are going to fly it this spring. Let's hope they do, and let's hope it is successful. But what if it isn't?" asked U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-FL. He is one who favors continued testing the Ares I rocket ... part of the Constellation program and would carry astronauts into orbit.

SpaceX Dragon Artist's Concept

SpaceX tried unsuccessfully three times to launch its smaller Falcon 1 rocket before delivering a payload safely to orbit on the 4th try.

Space Policy Institute Analyst John Logsdon told the Sentinel that the Falcon 9 launch is not a make-or-break scenario.  He said NASA has often used private rockets to launch unmanned payloads, including the solar probe launched last week on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V booster.

Logsdon noted that a successful Falcon 9 test is "clearly important to the credibility" of Obama's decision But "(i)t's the first launch of an untested vehicle, and historically not all of those have worked."

FMI: www.spacex.com, www.nasa.gov