What if a well regarded governmental agency made a program decision with enormous long term impact, but refused to provide the basis for the decision to the tax paying public? What if a respected news media outlet (that would be OC180NEWS), requested an explanation of the failure to provide the information, but got no response? What if a sitting member of the U.S. Congress requested the information and received nothing?
Further, imagine the desired information is not classified, or top secret, or internationally sensitive; imagine the information already exists, or at least the governmental agency says it exists; or, imagine the agency involved at one time said the subject of the missing information was an important aspect of the program’s future, then dropped it without much explanation.
So it is with NASA’s decision to drop plans for on-orbit fuel depots as part of the long term plan to return to manned space flight. As previously reported in OC180NEWS (see related articles below), West Orange County Congressman Dana Rohrabacher has been bird-dogging his attempt to get a copy of the NASA analysis they say they performed.
Before going further, it is important to note that OC180NEWS makes no claims of expertise in anything related to manned spaceflight. We take no position on the merits or lack there of, when it comes to on-orbit fuel depots. We are however, quite capable of reading a report on the subject.
This saga began at a July 12, 2011 hearing of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee. According to Rep. Rohrabacher, he requested the information, and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, agreed to provide the analysis.
When the analysis was not forthcoming from NASA, Rohrabacher followed up with a letter repeating the request. Shortly after that, OC180NEWS tried to get an answer out of NASA. All this to no avail.
Our September 22, 2011 article, see below, covered the issue to this point. Since our first article did not include any response from NASA, we published their answers on September 23, also listed below. While this exchange with NASA was taking place, the House Science, Space and Technology Committee was meeting again. Since Rohrabacher still had not received the information requested of NASA, the Congressman shot off another letter. This letter was to former NASA Administrator Dr. Michael D. Griffin to request his assistance.
“When NASA proposed on-orbit fuel depots in this Administration’s original plan for human space exploration, they said this game-changing technology could make the difference between exploring space and falling short. Then the depots dropped out of the conversation, and NASA has yet to provide any supporting documents explaining the change,” says Rohrabacher. “The promise and potential of on-orbit fuel depots is the ability to use our existing fleet of launch vehicles, including Delta IV, Atlas V, Falcon 9, Taurus II, and Liberty, to enable deep space missions. Using this system instead of a huge “monster” rocket would increase flight rates, bringing greater efficiency into operations, increasing flight experience and providing data leading to greater reliability; and would increase the market potential for the commercial systems we will use for crew and cargo transportation to the International Space Station.
“If it can work, it’s a win for American jobs, a win for NASA’s human space exploration program, and a win for America’s future in space. We would have to make some sacrifices, like the spectacle of the huge rocket launch, and the giant fairing, but it may well be worth it. It even enables the separation of the crew, who require tremendously reliable systems, from the easily replaceable cargo, just like the Constellation design.
“I know not everyone’s a fan of this path, and even Dr. Griffin has said it might not be the best way to go. If he is saying the technical challenge of on-orbit fuel depots is too far a reach for our nation’s best and brightest engineers, then we need to take that seriously. But if it isn’t being done because of bureaucratic bias or political concerns, that’s something else. Either way, I know Mike Griffin will agree NASA should provide the detailed analysis and conclusions, so we can take a look and be confident in their decisions moving forward.”
As Rep. Rohrabacher Keeps the pressure on NASA, a few news media outlets are taking notice. It has not reached the front page of the New York Times yet, but neither are Rohrabacher’s efforts going unnoticed.
OC180NEWS once again contacted NASA for an update and an explanation of why the analysis is being withheld. We spoke to someone at NASA very briefly yesterday. He was unfamiliar with the issue and said he would look into it.
The following is the text of Rep. Rohrabacher’s letter:
September 26, 2011
The Honorable Michael D. Griffin
Eminent Scholar and Professor
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Dear Dr. Griffin,
Thank you for taking the time to testify before the Science, Space, and Technology Committee last week. I understand that you spoke about on-orbit fuel depots after I left the hearing to meet another commitment.
I’m certain you are aware that on-orbit fuel depots were included in NASA’s initial Human Exploration Framework as presented by Doug Cooke, Associate Administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Mission Directorate on May 25, 2010. Somewhere in the intervening time, depots were dropped from the plan. It is important for Congress and the American people to understand how and why that decision was made.
Due to your continuing interest in this topic, as well as your strong belief in the importance of accountability and transparency in human space exploration, which you reiterated in yesterday’s testimony, I ask that you join me in calling for NASA to make public the analysis and conclusions performed as part of the Human Exploration Framework Team activities.
In freedom,
Dana Rohrabacher
Member of Congress
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About Dolores Barr, Publisher
Dolores Barr has lived in Rossmoor since 1992 and has created this site to provide local news for the people of Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Rossmoor, Leisure World, Sunset Beach, and Surfside, California. My husband and I have had two students graduate from the Los Alamitos Unified School District and currently our Grandson, Ricky Apodaca, grade 3 at Weaver Elementary, is actively involved in youth baseball through LAYB and youth football through FNL.
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