US Senator Bill Nelson, (D-Fla), chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Science and Space, has released a June 14, 2010 letter sent to US Senator Barbara A. Mikulski, the powerful Chairwoman of the Subcommittee of Senate Appropriations overseeing NASA's budget, in which Nelson provides insight as to the developing national space policy over the next year.
In the letter, Nelson says the Senate NASA authorization legislation will propose continuing the ISS until at least 2020; enabling space station commercial cargo delivery; and, the flight of an additional space shuttle mission, perhaps in the summer of 2011.
In addtion, "the bill would support the continuation and expansion of the current risk reduction, safety, and technology development effort known as the '"Commercial Crew Development Program."' The bill would also require NASA to complete a number of studies, assessments, and milestones as we progress from a commercial cargo capability to commercial crew services. Astronaut safety will be the core component of all of these requirements, as with any human space flight program," Nelson writes.
Senator Nelson also states that he is proposing, "NASA embark immediately on an international effort to define near-term missions in the lunar and high- Earth orbits of space. These missions would incorporate both robotic capabilities and the development of on-orbit capabilities, technology, and infrastructure. Initial missions to Lagrange points or lunar orbit would form a foundation for follow-on missions to other destinations, ultimately leading to Mars."
"The authorization bill will direct NASA to initiate development of a heavy-lift vehicle in fiscal year 2011, both to support these new human space flight activities and to serve as a contingency capability to the ISS. The authorization will propose that both the heavy-lift and crew exploration vehicles leverage the workforce, contracts, assets, and capabilities of the Shuttle, Ares I, and Orion efforts."
In the letter, Nelson says the Senate NASA authorization legislation will propose continuing the ISS until at least 2020; enabling space station commercial cargo delivery; and, the flight of an additional space shuttle mission, perhaps in the summer of 2011.
In addtion, "the bill would support the continuation and expansion of the current risk reduction, safety, and technology development effort known as the '"Commercial Crew Development Program."' The bill would also require NASA to complete a number of studies, assessments, and milestones as we progress from a commercial cargo capability to commercial crew services. Astronaut safety will be the core component of all of these requirements, as with any human space flight program," Nelson writes.
Senator Nelson also states that he is proposing, "NASA embark immediately on an international effort to define near-term missions in the lunar and high- Earth orbits of space. These missions would incorporate both robotic capabilities and the development of on-orbit capabilities, technology, and infrastructure. Initial missions to Lagrange points or lunar orbit would form a foundation for follow-on missions to other destinations, ultimately leading to Mars."
"The authorization bill will direct NASA to initiate development of a heavy-lift vehicle in fiscal year 2011, both to support these new human space flight activities and to serve as a contingency capability to the ISS. The authorization will propose that both the heavy-lift and crew exploration vehicles leverage the workforce, contracts, assets, and capabilities of the Shuttle, Ares I, and Orion efforts."
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