spacetoday.net: Bush names space panel

Posted: Sat, Jan 31, 2004, 9:22 AM ET (1422 GMT)
President Bush named nine people, ranging from scientists to business leaders, to a panel that will review the president's new space exploration policy. The President's Commission on Implementation of United States Space Exploration Policy will study the plan announced by the president earlier this month, making recommendations about how the plan should be implemented. Their review will include scientific agendas, technological needs, and opportunities for the private sector. Bush announced the committee when he spoke at NASA Headquarters on January 14, and announced at that time that it would be led by Pete Aldridge, a former Secretary of the Air Force and former Undersecretary of Defense for acquisitions. Other members of the commission, announced Friday, include astronomers and planetary scientists, former members of a commission that reviewed the US aerospace industry in 2001 and 2002, and businesspeople, including HP CEO Carly Fiorina. The choice of Aldridge has created some controversy, with Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) asking Bush in a letter Friday to remove Aldridge from the board because he currently serves as a member of the board of directors of Lockheed Martin.