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NASA's Strategic Direction and the Need for a National Consensus (2012) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix C Select Key Reports Concerning NASA's Strategic Direction
Pages 57-60

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From page 57...
... This report emphasized a few key themes: • The new scientific knowledge that space exploration will produce about the Universe, the Solar System, our planet and, indeed, the origin and destiny of life. • The major technology advances that will be pulled through to strengthen 21st century America's civilian economy and national security; • The leadership that the United States should continue to provide in the development of critical technologies, and in building a Highway to Space and Bridge between Worlds; • The new opportunities that we can create by opening the space frontier for personal fulfillment, for enterprise, and for human settlement; and • The hopes and dreams inspired by removing terrestrial limits to human aspiration, and the relevance of these hopes and dreams to America's pioneer heritage (p.
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From page 58...
... (Augustine Commission 1) It is recommended that the United States' future civil space program consist of a balanced set of five principal elements: • A science program, which enjoys highest priority within the civil space program, and is maintained at or above the current fraction of the NASA budget • A Mission to Planet Earth focusing on environmental measurements • A Mission from Planet Earth, with the long-term goal of human exploration of Mars, preceded by a modified Space Station which emphasizes life sciences, an exploration base on the Moon, and robotic precursors to Mars • A significantly expanded technology development activity, closely coupled to space mission objectives, with particular attention devoted to engines • A robust space transportation system (p.
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From page 59...
... NASA is and should remain a multi-mission agency with a balanced and robust set of core missions in science, aeronautics, and human space flight and exploration. Developing United States human space flight capabilities to allow independent American access to the International Space Station, and to explore beyond low Earth orbit, is a strategically important national imperative, and all prudent steps should thus be taken to bring the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle and Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle to full operational capability as soon as possible and to ensure the effective development of a United States heavy-lift launch capability for missions beyond low Earth orbit.
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From page 60...
... While commercial transportation systems have the promise to contribute valuable services, it is in the United States national interest to maintain a government operated space transportation system for crew and cargo delivery to space. The United States must develop, as rapidly as possible, replacement vehicles capable of providing both human and cargo launch capability to low-Earth orbit and to destinations beyond low-Earth orbit.
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Key Terms

  • space program
  • civil space
  • human exploration
  • space station
  • human spaceflight

  • national space
  • space policy
  • exploration initiative
  • beyond low
  • earth orbit

  • low earth
  • human space
  • robust space
  • space flight
  • international space

  • spaceflight program
  • international cooperation
  • exploration vision
  • planet earth
  • exploration program

  • administration authorization
  • launch capability
  • authorization act
  • accident investigation
  • investigation board

  • columbia accident
  • aligning space
  • space technology
  • states space
  • space endeavors


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