Return-Path: <sentto-279987-2696-1002227917-fc=all.net@returns.onelist.com> Delivered-To: fc@all.net Received: from 204.181.12.215 by localhost with POP3 (fetchmail-5.1.0) for fc@localhost (single-drop); Thu, 04 Oct 2001 13:44:41 -0700 (PDT) Received: (qmail 8888 invoked by uid 510); 4 Oct 2001 20:40:53 -0000 Received: from n12.groups.yahoo.com (216.115.96.62) by 204.181.12.215 with SMTP; 4 Oct 2001 20:40:53 -0000 X-eGroups-Return: sentto-279987-2696-1002227917-fc=all.net@returns.onelist.com Received: from [10.1.1.221] by n12.groups.yahoo.com with NNFMP; 04 Oct 2001 20:40:48 -0000 X-Sender: Ross.Leo@csoconline.com X-Apparently-To: iwar@onelist.com Received: (EGP: mail-7_4_1); 4 Oct 2001 20:38:37 -0000 Received: (qmail 9924 invoked from network); 4 Oct 2001 20:38:36 -0000 Received: from unknown (10.1.10.142) by 10.1.1.221 with QMQP; 4 Oct 2001 20:38:36 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO csoc-fire1.csoconline.com) (140.169.2.142) by mta3 with SMTP; 4 Oct 2001 20:40:47 -0000 Received: from csoc-mail-imc.csoconline.com by csoc-fire1.csoconline.com via smtpd (for mta1.onelist.com [208.48.218.7]) with SMTP; 4 Oct 2001 20:40:47 UT Received: by csoc-mail-imc.csoconline.com with Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19) id <4F6M6QR4>; Thu, 4 Oct 2001 15:40:37 -0500 Message-ID: <72222DC86846D411ABD300A0C9EB08A1079C2F86@csoc-mail-box.csoconline.com> To: "Abbey, George" <George.Abbey.jr@csoconline.com> X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19) From: "Leo, Ross" <Ross.Leo@csoconline.com> Mailing-List: list iwar@yahoogroups.com; contact iwar-owner@yahoogroups.com Delivered-To: mailing list iwar@yahoogroups.com Precedence: bulk List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:iwar-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com> Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2001 15:40:47 -0500 Reply-To: iwar@yahoogroups.com Subject: [iwar] RE: NASA Urged to Join Fight Against Terrorism Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit First, the opinion stated herein reflects my own personal opinion, and is not made on behalf of my company, nor is it endorsed by my company or its officers. I believe that NASA, blessed as it is with the technology it possesses, should contribute to the national effort against terrorism. I also believe that NASA should be cautious in how it makes that contribution. The civilian space agency has as its goals the advancement of American interests and research in space and other arenas. It is by its very nature and organization a scientific research organization. And despite its vast experience with remote sensing, miniaturization, and remote observation of celestial and terrestrial bodies, It is not by any measure an intelligence-gathering agent; at least not in the sense that an espionage or law-enforcement agency is. Some will think this is a prime opportunity for the NASA budget to be augmented with "other monies", especially given that NASA itself is struggling with budget issues even as we speak. Any such monies would not address these issues, and would most likely come with strings attached regarding how such monies would be applied. In short, this would not be a "get well plan". Nor should it be - responsible budget management should be a fundamental part of any governance process, with "bail-outs coming only to address truly extraordinary circumstances. In the final analysis, I believe the primary mission of all government agencies (military and civilian) is to support the policies of the US Government in peacetime and in war. I don't think however it is either prudent or useful to apply the resources of an agency not organized and focused as an intelligence or law-enforcement in such ways because of the paradigm-shift necessary. The NASA mission is structured around programs that require years to plan and execute, and to re-direct the agencies resources (to any significant level) in support of anti-terrorist activity will take too much time, and face too much organizational inertia to overcome at a time when speed is of the essence. NASA, I am sure, supports the current Government posture, and will do whatever it is called upon to do. I just think we need to assess carefully what the best use of NASA's potential contribution is, and employ it as truly makes sense and adds value to this fight. Ross A. Leo Ross A. Leo, CISSP, CBCP > -----Original Message----- > From: Abbey, George > Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2001 08:22 > Subject: NASA Urged to Join Fight Against Terrorism > > NASA Urged to Join Fight Against Terrorism Source: > http://www.space.com/news/nasa_military_010927.html > > By Leonard David > Senior Space Writer > posted: 07:00 am ET > 27 September 2001 > > > > > WASHINGTON - NASA should put its research muscle behind > the effort to counter terrorism, a leading aerospace > industry > support group advocates. But some experts caution that > expanding military budgets may usurp and derail the > civilian > space agency's own agenda. > > In a September 19 letter to NASA Administrator, Daniel > Goldin, > the head of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), > John > Douglass, expressed support for increased research and > development money for NASA. AIA is a powerful trade > association here, representing the nation's aerospace > manufacturers. > > Douglass said the tragic terrorist strikes "highlighted > the need > to dramatically improve our country's capabilities" in > several > areas: air traffic management, security of our national > air > space, airport security, and aircraft security. > > "Speaking for the U.S. aerospace industry, we feel that > NASA > is the appropriate place for research and development on > these > and related systems to take place," Douglass advised > Goldin > in the letter obtained by SPACE.com. > > Douglass also added one note of concern. > > "We do not, however, feel your current budget will allow > any > significant progress on these high priority issues. We > urge you, > therefore, to request increased R&D [research and > development] funding." > > Resources and expertise > > Bruce Mahone, director of Space Policy at AIA, told > SPACE.com that, "at a time when our national security is > at > risk, it makes sense to marshal all our abilities as a > nation to > meet the threats we face." > > Mahone said NASA has a wealth of resources and expertise > that can assist the military, as well as intelligence > and law > enforcement communities. Possible examples include > remote > sensing skills and innovative computing capabilities, he > said. > > Furthermore, Mahone points to several human spaceflight > advances that could be of great help to the military. > > For one, reusable launch technologies may lead to a > military > space plane, Mahone said. Also, life support systems now > used in space could have applications for use on Earth > in > hostile environments. Another example is miniaturized > health > monitoring systems, swallowed like a pill, in use to > monitor the > health of orbiting astronauts. > > "These could have numerous applications in surveillance > and > intelligence collection," Mahone said. > > Balancing act > > Former NASA plans and policy chief Lori Garver agreed > that > NASA's technological prowess should be tapped. > > "Now more than ever, NASA may focus on issues where > their > technology can make a contribution to national > security," > Garver said. > > NASA's past work with the Department of Defense and > Federal > Aviation Administration can be strengthened in key > areas, such > as space transportation and aviation safety, Garver > said. > > Garver, now director of space programs at DFI > International > here, said that "although the nation's space program > must still > balance scientific goals with technology development, > U.S. > space policy will likely focus on increased technology > investment in the near term," she said. > > NASA's high-tech skills are indeed a plus, said Joan > Johnson-Freese, a professor in the Department of > Transnational Studies in the Asia-Pacific Center for > Security > Studies in Honolulu, Hawaii. > > The Department of Defense is looking at enhanced > communications requirements, along with > intelligence-gathering systems, including imagery, as > well as > "any and all kinds of sensors," Johnson-Freese said. > "NASA > has vast experience in developing exactly the kinds of > technologies the military needs, and ought to be > involved," she > said. > > "I would hope to see NASA making suggestions on its own > about how the agency can help, rather than wait to be > asked," > Johnson-Freese said. "Innovation and creativity will be > much > needed and appreciated," she said. > > Funding nosedive? > > But as the nation swings into a full court press against > global > terrorism, and military budgets increase, could NASA > wind up > on the short end of the budgetary stick? > > NASA could find itself in a funding nosedive, said > Marshall > Kaplan, in charge of Space Consulting Activities at > Strategic > Insight Ltd. of Arlington, Virginia. > > "In recent years, NASA's mission and that of the > Pentagon > have found some common ground, but only a relatively > small > amount," Kaplan said. "Now that Pentagon money needs and > priorities have come to the forefront of America's > attention, it is > likely that NASA's budget will suffer for the next one > to three > years." > > Any NASA budget decline, Kaplan said, would adversely > impact such large price tag programs as the > International > Space Station, the space shuttle, and the Space Launch > Initiative - a multi-billion dollar effort to develop > next generation > launch vehicles. "High visibility programs, such as > planetary > probes, will probably not suffer significantly," he > said. > > Institutional threat > > NASA is likely to benefit from any ramp-up in military > funding in > the short term. However, whether NASA maintains its > relevance might be short-lived, said military space > expert, > Roger Handberg, professor and interim chair in the > Department > of Political Science at the University of Central > Florida in > Orlando. > > "The problem is that the agency becomes less relevant > except > in R&D function regarding hypersonic flight and possible > reusable launch vehicles. But the question is whether > NASA > will control that," Handberg said. > > A Presidential order and subsequent policies have > prohibited > and stalled military manned spaceflight, Handberg said. > While > not a prime priority, "the military may use the war > footing as > the mechanism for getting back into the manned > spaceflight > arena," he said. > > If a major U.S. military push evolves to seize control > over entry > and use of outer space by other nations, however, NASA > would > be pushed into backseat status in terms of human > spaceflight, > Handberg said. > > "For NASA, all of this becomes institutionally > threatening since > it implies that at some point the military may take > control over > human spaceflight by the United States, relegating NASA > to > space science and aviation development. That would lead > to a > budget decline that would significantly change the > nature of the > American space program," Handberg predicted. > > Cooperate in new and unexpected ways > > As the war on terrorism unfolds, innovative scientists > at many > NASA centers and laboratories - along with the > university and > contractor community the civilian space agency works > with -- > could be helpful in overcoming technical challenges that > will > arise, said AIA's Mahone. > > "We do not envision or desire to see NASA become a > military > or paramilitary organization," Mahone said. "We do, > however, > see the need for NASA to cooperate in new and unexpected > ways with other branches of the federal government by > sharing > its expertise, facilities and problem-solving > abilities." > > "More R&D funding will be needed," he said, "for NASA to > do > so effectively." > > ------------------------ Yahoo! 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