ABC News totally distorts Bush administration space policy

This post has nothing to do with United States space policy or budget dollars, it has to do with ABC News totally distorting the facts when it comes to the Bush administration’s space policy after the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003.

When referencing Gov. Rick Perry’s (Texas) statement about the Obama administration “leaving American astronauts with no alternative but to hitchhike into space” ABC’s The Note wrote it was the Bush administration’s decisions to end the Space Shuttle program by 2010.

Perry, who appears to be laying the groundwork to enter the 2012 presidential race, did not mention President George W. Bush’s role in the end of the space shuttle era. In 2004 at a speech at NASA headquarters, Bush laid out what the White House called his “New Vision For Space Exploration,” which called for the retirement of the space shuttle.

Back then, Bush called for the space shuttle to be taken out of service in 2010.

What a way to tell only 20 percent of the story! It’s a lie by omission. In reality, the Bush administration – after an extensive review of the Space Shuttle program after the Columbia disaster – announced a new vision in Jan. 2004. The Vision for Space Exploration (PDF) NASA document includes the following specific goals and objectives.

The fundamental goal of this vision is to advance U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests through a robust space exploration program. In support of this goal, the United States will:

  • Implement a sustained and affordable human and robotic program to explore the solar system and beyond;
  • Extend human presence across the solar system, starting with a human return to the Moon by the year 2020, in preparation for human exploration of Mars and other destinations;
  • Develop the innovative technologies, knowledge, and infrastructures both to explore and to support decisions about the destinations for human exploration; and
  • Promote international and commercial participation in exploration to further U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests

As for the Space Shuttle…

  • Focus use of the Space Shuttle to complete assembly of the International Space Station; and
  • Retire the Space Shuttle as soon as assembly of the International Space Station is completed, planned for the end of this decade;

As for the International Space Station (ISS)…

  • Complete assembly of the International Space Station, including the U.S. components that support U.S. space exploration goals and those provided by foreign partners, planned for the end of this decade;
  • Focus U.S. research and use of the International Space Station on supporting space exploration goals, with emphasis on understanding how the space environment affects astronaut health and capabilities and developing countermeasures; and
  • Conduct International Space Station activities in a manner consistent with U.S. obligations contained in the agreements between the United States and other partners in the International Space Station.

The plan did require we “acquire” crew transportation services to the ISS. But it also gave birth to the Constellation program that would develop rockets, a crew module and lunar explorer vehicle. We would be on the moon between 2015 and 2020.

President Obama officially killed the Constellation program in October 2010 after claiming it was over budget and behind schedule. That certainly may be the case, but ABC should immediately revise their story to include the facts. By telling barely a half-truth, it breeds ignorant comments from readers…

– Well of course he didn’t mention GWB. Facts are so pesky.

– Perry completely ignores that President Bush started the demise of the means for us to take men into space on the advice and careful research by his space advisors. But the truth is an is sometime Perry is used to ignoring.

– so It was not Obama, but GWB who put an end to the shuttle. Let’s face it, little facts just do not matter.

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Steve McGough

Steve's a part-time conservative blogger. Steve grew up in Connecticut and has lived in Washington, D.C. and the Bahamas. He resides in Connecticut, where he’s comfortable six months of the year.

11 Comments

  1. Edmondo on July 22, 2011 at 9:36 am

    It doesn’t matter who killed the Space Shuttle program. ?The Shuttle was no longer a practical space vehicle and had already been extended past its expected lifespan to?accommodate?the ISS. ?We were basically sending people into space in a restored 1972 Ford Maverick. ??

    There were a lot of deep exhales and and uncrossed fingers as Atlantis touched down. ?40% of the vehicles built exploded and killed all occupants.

    ?The real issue is that BHO?abandoned?the plans for the future as outlined by GWB. ?The Shuttle was due for the scrap heap long before 2008.

    ?



  2. SeeingRed on July 22, 2011 at 10:22 am

    ABC?? Distort?? Say it aint so.



  3. Dimsdale on July 22, 2011 at 11:29 am

    Hey!? They spelled Bush’s name right!? They aren’t totally incompetent!
    ?
    Or maybe it was just a spell checker…



  4. Anne-EH on July 22, 2011 at 11:58 am

    Not surprise, ABC with CBS, NBC, CNN, and MSNBC are ALL in the tank for President Obama.



  5. sammy22 on July 22, 2011 at 12:29 pm

    Well, Edmondo summarized the issue correctly. Others simply go into the bashing mode.



    • Dimsdale on July 22, 2011 at 6:21 pm

      Correctly?? Up to a point.? Where is the replacement program?? What about all those people involved with the program now out on their keesters?
      ?
      ABC etc. have an obligation to do a simple search and get the facts, all of them, before reporting anything, which was the point of this post.



  6. sammy22 on July 22, 2011 at 6:39 pm

    The replacement program is on a back burner (maybe). Does Rep. Ryan want to fund a Space Shuttle replacement? As for the people who may lose their job, they should have “prepared” for the eventuality that the Space Shuttle program would end. Isn’t this what everybody else is “contemplating”, the end of a career ?? I did.



  7. TomM on July 23, 2011 at 10:20 am

    Really no matter as to ABC? network or which President did this or that in the major downgrade of the USA in this matter. Now watch others – they learned by us + Russia.
    As it may seem we ( the USA) are done with anything to do with space – not all true.
    In case any follow the projects and outcome. For just about 1 dollar spent was 7x return.
    Granted we and others lost lives to get there or try to come home.
    However the Space Program as we had it ( maybe still do) is/was as none ever had.
    The lessons learned are for all of us. In ways you use everyday as to what was learned, found discovered. Here’s a very simple one: cookware that can take 900 degress and not melt.
    Technology as few even understand yet.
    Now as these think spending billions for space by any nation would be beter spending on the poor. Wrong move. It’s a front for them – not to progress. May I remind some of the 1000’s of people that make this work? Yes jobs! Good paying and have to a brain to do many. So as the Shuttle program is now closed. How many companies will have to lay-off workers?
    OH surprise there job openings in another country.
    Here’s something few really know. Where was the Hubble Space Telescope mirror made?
    Right here in…



  8. Todd from Farmington on July 23, 2011 at 11:46 am

    I trust Jim, Rush, Hannity, Dr. Savage, and Fox News.? The rest of ’em I wouldn’t trust to watch a goldfish.
    ?
    It’s funny, when I was a kid-being an anchor at a major network was a huge deal.? Now-a-days they all seem like cheerleaders to me.? It’s also funny when the news big wigs wonder why their ratings are dropping like Obama’s approval rating.



  9. sammy22 on July 23, 2011 at 12:01 pm

    Like there is life after High School, there is life after the Shuttle Program.



  10. Eric on July 24, 2011 at 12:39 pm

    Leave it to a liberal news organization to squeeze their slant into a news story, just so we can all see how “smart” our dopey president is. ?Do you suppose ABC realizes yet that this kind of opinion-generated “news” is the reason for it’s decline in viewership, or maybe they just don’t care anymore. ?Just like NBC and CBS, ABC is only a shadow of what they use to be. ?As a Conservative I am thankful to the progressives who have ruined ?the main-stream media. ?Most people can no longer be bothered with these nitwits anymore. ?That’s a good thing!



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