Boston Globe: The hard work behind, and mixed reception to, that Augustine report on NASA’s goals
The daily news cycle, some months ago, ground through the big and long-anticipated report on NASA that a panel of scientists and policy experts released. There were many hearings and a long gestation of drafts and rewrites. Not often does such a process get a public look-over in the media after the dust is starting to settle. The Boston Globe’s Carolyn Y. Johnson found more to report, and does so today, in a panel discussion at MIT last week. On it was Norman Augustine, the leader of the group.
There is not anything overwhelmingly new here. It serves readers, however, by telling them what goes into such reviews and by reminding them that the findings are still being digested in the bowels of Washington, particularly in the White House’s west wing (assuming, as the TV show told us, that’s where all the wonks huddle and scheme). And the piece has a solid reply to those of us such as me who think people in spacesuits are pretty much a waste of tax dollars. It powerfully suggests that the exploration program is worthwhile, even if scaled back, for reasons beyond somewhat beguiling jaunts to asteroids and libration points. Go to the last line in the story to judge for yourself.
Other space news:
While we’re implying the allure of robotic space exploration…
Hardly anybody reported this, but the European Space Agency’s Mars Express orbiter took some new pictures of Phobos and Deimos, the planet’s two moons. One catches them both in one frame. That’s pretty cool. ESA also released a very high def solo photo of Phobos.
Stories:
- Space Daily: Martian Moon Duo ;
- Space.com: Mars moons pictured together for first time ;
Grist for the Mill: ESA Press Release ;
Main pic way up there: Little and everything to do with Augustine panel: Shuttle and space station in silhouette against solar chromosphere, 2006. Source. Check it out to see the full frame.
- Charlie Petit
