The substantial troubles faced by the U.S. economy have been made worse by Americas’ gradual loss of technological superiority to other nations. The most salient example of this is the nation’s vaunted space program, the preeminence of which has been sharply diminished due to budget cuts. Can privatization of space activities restore the country’s leadership in this crucial realm?
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The successful mission of the SpaceX company’s Dragon space craft, launched by the corporation’s own rocket, Falcon 9, provided a desperately needed boost to American space fortunes. The nation’s credibility had been severely reduced when the Shuttle era ended with no replacement capable of engaging in the orbital activities necessary to maintain a strong presence in space. It is highly disturbing that after winning the race to the moon and outlasting the very existence of its chief rival, the Soviet Union, Washington is currently incapable of putting an astronaut into space and must pay Moscow to ferry astronauts to orbit. China, which has also launched men into space, is currently more capable of manned space flight than America. Beijing has embarked on an exceptionally ambitious program that includes plans for its own orbiting space station and trips to the Moon.
The U.S. has no plans for reestablishing a manned space program until 2017, at the earliest. But as any observer of federal budgetary practices knows, plans that go beyond the tenure of the current administration are not guaranteed, so even that date can’t be certain. Just as Spain lost its preeminence in exploration to Great Britain centuries ago, the United States is in danger of surrendering its leading role in space to other nations, particularly two nations which are not friendly to America.
Commentator Charles Krauthammer notes that while in the future private companies will have a vigorous portion of space activity, that future remains decades away, and “In the interim, space will be owned by Russia and China.”
Democrats in Congress during the Bush (43) administration began to grumble that America’s future plans would spend funds they felt should be committed to domestic programs. President Obama acted on those concerns after taking office. The vast sums he spent on stimulus programs included nothing for NASA. Republicans have failed to vigorously opposed the lack of White House support, and have not made the matter a significant issue. Indeed, they too have at times been less than supportive of NASA’s needs.
It’s not only manned space flight that has been slashed by the Obama White House. According to the Planetary Society, “The U.S. Administration’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2013 would force NASA to walk away from planned missions to Mars, delay flagship missions to the outer planets for decades, and gradually slow the pace of scientific discovery…if this budget is allowed to stand, the United States will walk away from decades of greatness in space science and exploration. More than that, the U.S. will lose expertise, capability and talent…we’ll quickly stop producing scientists, technicians, and engineers that can lead.”
Both Presidents Bush (43) and Obama gave more verbal than fiscal support to the space program, (which even when “fully funded” receives only about 1/2 of 1% of the federal budget. A space research advocacy publication, Mars Daily, notes that Russia commits a higher portion of its GDP to space industry than the U.S.) but the recent cuts under the current administration have been the most severe. The detrimental impact on the general American economy from defunding space efforts can’t be overstated. Over 94% of every dollar funding space sciences goes to universities, industries which provide well paid positions, and other organizations. As reported in a previous NY ANALYSIS OF POLICY & GOVERNMENT report, up to 27,000 skilled and related positions may be lost due to the underfunding of space activity.
According to statements made by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay to the Washington Times, “The absolute lack of understanding of the importance of human space flight that this administration demonstrates is mind-numbing…the issue isn’t just jobs, although, of course, in this economy every job is precious…it isn’t even about America being #1 in the world…it isn’t even [only] about national security and the need to maintain our industrial base…there is something innate in humanity that calls us to [explore.]”
Private companies are attempting to fill at least part of this void, with significant support from the public. According to a Wall Street Journal poll, 76% of Americans enthusiastically support corporate efforts. The concept of allowing the private sector to boldly go where only governments had gone before actually began with President Reagan’s 1984 signing of the Commercial Space Launch Act. It was supplemented in 1990 when President Bush (41) signed the Launch Services Purchase Act. Russia has also seen private ventures interact with government space efforts.
The extraordinary success of the DRAGON mission to the International Space Station is a landmark in the privatization effort. According to Philip McAlister, NASA’s Director for Commercial Space Flight Development, “NASA is working with private industry in an unprecedented way, cultivating innovation on the path toward maintaining America’s leadership in space exploration.” This represents a change of heart on the part of the space agency. According to Lewis Solomon, author of The Privatization of Space Exploration, “For too long, NASA’s culture remained indifferent, if not hostile, to commercial activity.”
Approximately $381 million was committed by NASA for the DRAGON effort. Complementing unmanned plans, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program will attempt to launch astronauts using private facilities and vehicles. SPACEX seeks to accomplish that goal in about three years.
NASA is still developing its own ORION manned capsule, an advanced version of the old APOLLO spacecraft that will utilize a new launcher to place Americans into space. Funding issues continue to plague the effort, however.
NASA essentially plays the role of the chief, and in many cases sole, customer of advanced space technology under its Commercial Orbital Transportation Service program (COTS), an effort that began in 2006 with investments of about $800 million. That figure does not cover any private manned space craft which a number of companies are developing for a variety of uses, including space tourism. The goal is to use the private sector to provide space services in a less costly manner than a government-run program could.
A NASA document states that “Under COTS, NASA is helping commercial partners develop and demonstrate their own cargo space transportation capabilities to serve the U.S. Government and other potential customers. The companies lead and direct their own efforts, with NASA providing technical and financial assistance.”
NASA wants to outsource to the private sector all cargo and crew missions to the Space Station by 2017. However, both the Senate and the House have sliced funding from the effort. Critics both in and out of government have complained that NASA should select a single contractor, rather than encourage competition among a number of companies, in an effort to accelerate progress and end America’s embarrassing inability to launch its own astronauts.
Other obstacles affect private sector initiatives, as well. Uncertainty over a number of international legal issues may chill corporate efforts. An “International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities” may impose unforeseen burdens on private, military and civilian efforts. The Obama Administration favors the Code, and has not included Congress in his deliberations. Congress has expressed concern over potential issues, and has enacted measures to counter the Administration’s plans.
The United States must rethink its diminished emphasis on space exploration and exploitation immediately. Even the most hard-pressed farmer knows that eating the seeds meant for the next harvest is a bad idea. Withdrawing from the arena that will be a prime focus of economic wealth in the coming years in order to save a relatively minute amount is a terrible investment strategy.