Elliot Pulham, The Space Foundation, Friday, 1-11-13 January 12, 2013
Posted by The Space Show in Uncategorized.Tags: "Pioneering: Sustaining U.S. Leadership in Space, aerospace industry, Apollo Program, commercial space industry., Elliot Pulham, ISS, lunar settlement, NASA Commission, NASA Jobs Program, NASA Long-Term Plan, NASA management, NASA Pioneering Doctrine, NASA purpose, NewSpace, pioneering, policy implementation, space exploration, Space Foundation, space policy, space settlement/colonization
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Elliot Pulham, The Space Foundation, Friday, 1-11-13
http://archived.thespaceshow.com/shows/1928-BWB-2013-01-11.mp3
Guest: Elliot Pulham. Topics: The Space Foundation’s White Paper, “Pioneering: Sustaining U.S. Leadership in Space.” Please direct all comments and questions regarding Space Show programs/guest(s) to the Space Show blog, http://thespaceshow.wordpress.com. Comments and questions should be relevant to the specific Space Show program. Written Transcripts of Space Show programs are a violation of our copyright and are not permitted without prior written consent, even if for your own use. We do not permit the commercial use of Space Show programs or any part thereof, nor do we permit editing, YouTube clips, or clips placed on other private channels & websites. Space Show programs can be quoted, but the quote must be cited or referenced using the proper citation format. Contact The Space Show for further information. We welcomed back Elliot Pulham, CEO of The Space Foundation (www.spacefoundation.org) to discuss their new White Paper, “Pioneering: Sustaining U.S. Leadership in Space.” You can download both the Executive Summary and the actual paper at www.spacefoundation.org/programs/research-and-analysis/pioneering. Our guest was with us for the first hour of the program. During our time with him, we discussed the Pioneering white paper, the reason for it, and its approach to sustaining U.S. space leadership. Mr. Pulham defined pioneering for us and when asked, we learned that it was broader and more inclusive than the more frequently used terms of settlement or colonization. We talked about why NASA needed a purpose, one that was clearly defined and articulated throughout the organization, plus the congressional and executive branches of government. We talked about basic NASA management improvements plus a host of strategic and tactical recommendations to improve our civil space policy and program. Listeners had many questions for our guest ranging from how reforms within NASA and our political systems would actually be implemented to needing general public support for Pioneering to become the NASA organizational purpose. Other issues that came up included how to transition from one year funding battles to long term project financing. The NewSpace segment came up as did space advocacy organizations with listeners asking if the advocacy proponents need to speak with a more unified voice than from their respective and often diverse positions. In the last few minutes of our discussion, I asked our guest for the implementation process. Here, we learned what the Space Foundation has been doing since going public with their policy proposals and their plans for continuing to push for the Pioneering purpose and program. We also talked about the role each of us can play in pursuing this type of seed change within NASA, Congress, and the Executive Branch to implement space policy changes for the better. We did return after the hour for a very short second segment in which I announced some date changes for programs given the start of my teaching my UND commercial space graduate class.
If you have comments/questions for Mr. Pulham about the Space Foundation White Paper, please post them on The Space Show blog URL above.
Brent Sherwood, Tuesday, 7-24-12 July 25, 2012
Posted by The Space Show in Uncategorized.Tags: " SpaceX, Apollo Program, Bigelow Aerospace, Brent Sherwood, Elon Musk, Explore Mars, Global Space Exploration Conference (GLEX), human spaceflight (HSF), insitu resource usage, Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL), life on Mars, lunar settlement, Mars settlement, Mars technology challenges, Martian sample return mission., NASA, NASA budget, NASA goals, Near Earth Objects (NEO), Planetary Defense, rare Earth elements, space habitation, Space Solar Power (SSP), space tourism, space vision, U.S. economy, value proposition
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Brent Sherwood, Tuesday, 7-24-12
http://archived.thespaceshow.com/shows/1821-BWB-2012-07-24.mp3
Guest: Brent Sherwood. Topics: Human spaceflight to Mars: Is it on the path or a distraction? You are invited to comment, ask questions, and discuss the Space Show program/guest(s) on the Space Show blog, http://thespaceshow.wordpress.com. Comments, questions, and any discussion must be relevant and applicable to Space Show programming. Transcripts of Space Show programs are not permitted without prior written consent from The Space Show (even if for personal use) & are a violation of the Space Show copyright. We welcomed Brent Sherwood back to the show to discuss his GLEX paper and ideas regarding human spaceflight (HSF), Mars, and alternative NASA goals/missions regarding HSF. His GLEX paper, “Mars-On the Path or in the Way” is posted on The Space Show blog following this program summary. Please read & review his paper as it contains far more detail regarding his proposal, analysis and his conclusion than what we were able to discuss during our program. In our first segment, Mr. Sherwood provided us with the background and context for his having written this paper and for his conclusion that HSF to Mars is not the right path. He then outlined alternative paths for HSF missions that he believes can better “regain the cultural centrality of human space flight and grow by attracting private capital.” Our guest talked about the value proposition of a HSF mission to Mars, plus the value proposition of the alternatives he describes in his paper & on this program. The value proposition is understood to refer to the value received by sending humans to Mars (or the alternative HSF missions) as compared to the value of the mission costs, the opportunity costs, risks, etc. Mr. Sherwood assesses the value proposition for all of his alternative HSF proposals which include the Explore Mars mission, lunar settlement, space passenger travel, and SSP. For most of this initial segment, Brent outlined his ideas and explained why he has concluded that HSF to Mars does not measure up as a value promise & why SSP is his first choice. We began taking listener email questions and phone calls after he summarized his position & as you can imagine, most all the listener questions/comments were of the challenging nature to his conclusion that HSF to Mars was not in the best interest of our space program. I urge you read his paper and to pay attention to the technical, cost, time line, and historical information shared with us by our guest.
In the second segment of this nearly two hour program, Brent took questions and expanded more as to why he supports other options than HSF to Mars. He also explained why he is calling for a debate on this issue within the space community. At the start of this segment, I asked him if he thought discovering life on Mars would change his opinion and the value proposition. He said no but did say it would expedite the Martian sample return mission, but would not alter the variables & unknowns involved in the magnitude of technology challenges needing resolution before sending humans safely to and from Mars. Toward the end of our discussion, I asked how he might move forward to implement the industry debate he has called for on this show & in his paper. Suggestions on how to do this are wanted so if you have any, post them on the blog.
Brent would like your feedback so after listening to this program and reading his paper, please post comments/questions on the blog. You can email Brent Sherwood by sending your note to me & I will forward it to him.
Brent Sherwood’s GLEX Paper:
Mars-On the Path or In the Way?
Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, Tuesday, 3-6-12 March 6, 2012
Posted by The Space Show in Uncategorized.Tags: " humor, "Space Chronicles: Facing The Ultimate Frontier, "The Case For Space: Why We Should Keep Reaching for the Stars, American Museum of Natural History, Apollo Program, asteroids, Cold War, Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, economic value, Futron Competitive Index, Hayden Planetarium, innovation, NASA budget, NASA pork, NewSpace, Private Sector space program, space enthusiasm delusion, space race, space science., STEM education
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Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, Tuesday, 3-6-12
http://archived.thespaceshow.com/shows/1728-BWB-2012-03-06.mp3
Guest: Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson. Subject: Dr. Tyson talks space policy along with his new book, “Space Chronicles: Facing The Ultimate Frontier” and his article in the current edition of Foreign Affairs, , “The Case For Space: Why We Should Keep Reaching for the Stars.” You are invited to comment, ask questions, and discuss the Space Show program/guest(s) on the Space Show blog, http://thespaceshow.wordpress.com. Comments, questions, and any discussion must be relevant and applicable to Space Show programming. Transcripts of Space Show programs are not permitted without prior written consent from The Space Show (even if for personal use) & are a violation of the Space Show copyright. We welcomed Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson back to the show for a comprehensive hour long discussion on space policy, the NASA budget, investment in our future, the space race, and many more issues as pointed out in both his Foreign Affairs article and in his new book. Remember, if you order his book using the following Amazon link, Amazon will make a contribution to The Space Show/One Giant Leap Foundation: www.amazon.com/Space-Chronicles-Facing-Ultimate-Frontier/dp/0393082105/ref=onegiantleap20. You can read his Foreign Affairs article at www.scribd.com/doc/82592118/The-Case-for-Space. During our hour with Neil, we discussed the NASA budget and why it should be increased. Dr. Tyson also pointed out why humor was so important and what it really means as I asked him about the joking and kidding around regarding space when he visits programs such as The Daily Show. Neil also made the case for more space activity and talked about spinoffs but additionally he talked about the economic growth that comes from innovation and inspiration, along with unplanned and fortunate discoveries. Here, he cited the Hubble Space Telescope and mammograms as an example. He also suggested that with a space program that is innovative and doing what it should be doing, the STEM education problems are solved in the process. We talked about NASA not being one of the key scientific government agencies anymore and he was upset that this was and is not being corrected. Dr. Tyson had much to say about the role of the private sector in space development in that government typically puts down the infrastructure and opens the industry door with the privates coming after, expanding the industry, operating more efficiently, and developing markets. A listener asked about planetary defense and asteroids, another listener inquired about space enthusiasts running for political office, and Jon suggested that giving NASA a bigger budget would just be a waste as NASA is all about pork. Neil addressed all of these questions and more. I urge listeners to read his book and if possible, read the Foreign Affairs article before you listen to the interview. During our discussion, Dr. Tyson said some very powerful things. For example, note our discussion on the NASA budget as an investment, not an expense. Neil described himself as an educator so listen to what he had to say about how to influence people and create change through education by teaching real science and facts so people can make truly informed choices. Pay attention to what he said about a country that does not invest in its future and why space should be the future getting the investment benefit. Throughout this interview, Neil powerfully reminded us all that even in tough economic times like today, NASA has been instrumental in shaping our national identity, inspiring us, driving our economy, driving careers in the STEM disciplines, and bringing us landmark, groundbreaking new technologies. I personally believe that Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson makes a very good case for space. Please post any comments/questions you might have for Dr. Tyson on The Space Show blog URL above.
