The U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill that will add one more space shuttle launch and fund the development of commercial and heavy-lift rockets, but it wont save the jobs of more than 1,000 shuttle workers scheduled to be laid off Friday.
In a 304-118 vote, the House approved the Senate version of the bill in what amounts to bipartisan fashion, given the heated political climate ahead of the midterm elections.
We really want to thank Congress for their thoughtful contributions. I think its clear that our mission inspired passion and support among both political parties, NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver said.
Yet even those who voted for the bill were less than ecstatic about it. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, hopes to change parts of it when Congress votes on appropriation legislation for NASA, especially if Republicans take control of both chambers after the midterm elections.
It asks NASA to do too much with too little. It was a close call. Unless we can take over the House and change this, its going to have major repercussions, Posey said.
Poseys main complaint with the bill is the end of the Constellation program -- which is all but defunct no matter which party controls Congress -- and the subsequent gap in NASAs ability to conduct human space-flight missions. Even with the extra flight, the shuttle program will end in 2011, and the new legislation provides $6.9 billion over the next three years to develop the next heavy-lift rocket.
Garver said the next heavy-lift rocket should be operational by 2016, but Posey lamented the human space-flight gap and the $9 billion already spent on developing the Ares I rocket, part of the Constellation program.
Now were going to trash all that and start a new program, and on top of all that were going to pay the Russians to launch our astronauts. Were relying on the Chinese to finance us and the Russians to launch us, Posey said, referring to the governments reliance on Russia to transport astronauts to the International Space Station.
Garver downplayed skepticism that a new heavy-lift rocket could be designed and ready for flight by the 2016 timeline.
Weve had plans for heavy-lift for decades. Theres no question there are challenges ... with heavy-lift, but were used to doing difficult things, Garver said.
Despite his objections, Posey found enough in the bill to vote for it. The legislation provides $1.6 billion over the next three years for the development of commercial rockets -- instead of the $3.6 billion that was part of the plan outlined by President Obama in February -- and provides relief for many who were slated to lose their jobs.
I am a big supporter of commercial space flight. I think we should be looking to commercial for all of our low-earth orbit stuff, but for exploration there is no profit incentive to commercial companies to do human exploration, Posey said, adding that the bill will help the short-term jobs picture.
That will be cold comfort, however, to shuttle workers on the Space Coast and contractors across the country connected to the Constellation program that are expected to lose their jobs Friday.
I dont believe this bill will change the situation with the Constellation work-force transition, Garver said, adding that the decision to end the Constellation program, derided as over budget and behind schedule, was made long before the latest bill was discussed.
President Obama is expected to sign the legislation in the next 10 days, Garver said.
Reach Gray Rohrer at grohrer@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
