May 25, 2011

Astronaut Harrison Schmitt Calls for Replacing NASA

Apollo 17 Astronaut Harrison Schmitt on the Moon
One of the last two men on the Moon, Apollo 17 astronaut, geologist and former Senator Harrison Schmitt has announced his recommendation to greatly restructure NASA. In short, his plan would transfer routine functions to other agencies, leave NASA in charge of ISS during its lifespan, and create a new deep space exploration agency, the National Space Exploration Administration (NSEA), exclusively for human space exploration.

This is a brilliant idea which could have the effect of recreating the 'lean, mean fighting machine' which was NASA in the 1960's. Free from bureaucratic burdens, free of managing permanent and routine Earth monitoring and other functions, the new agency could plow through barriers to actually deliver the goods to take Americans to Mars. This is worthy of serious consideration by Congress and the Administration.

Please study the proposal at Dr. Schmitt's website AmericasUncommonSense.com as well as his booklet; Space Policy and the Constitution which "commemorates President Kennedy¹s decisive challenge 50 years to a generation of young Americans and the remarkable success of those young Americans in meeting that challenge."

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