Aldridge Commission releases report
Posted: Thu, Jun 17, 2004, 11:39 AM ET (1539 GMT)
The President's Commission on Moon, Mars, and Beyond, also known as the Aldridge Commission, released its final report Wednesday, calling for significant changes to NASA's structure as well as an increased reliance on the private sector. The report, commissioned by the President to review the implementation of his Vision for Space Exploration, concluded that NASA needed to transform itself into a leaner organization better able to focus on the exploration plan. Along those lines, the commission recommended that NASA's field centers be converted into federally-funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) operated by universities or nonprofit organizations for the agency. The commission also called on the Administration to create a Space Exploration Steering Council, analogous to the former National Space Council, to oversee the overall exploration effort. The commission concluded that the commercialization of space should be "a primary focus" of the vision, and called for prizes and other incentives for the private sector, and recommended NASA should hand over more responsibilities, including transport of virtually all payloads into low Earth orbit, to the private sector. The report was widely praised by space industry and advocacy organizations, although the details of its implementation have yet to be worked out by the Administration, Congress, and NASA.
The President's Commission on Moon, Mars, and Beyond, also known as the Aldridge Commission, released its final report Wednesday, calling for significant changes to NASA's structure as well as an increased reliance on the private sector. The report, commissioned by the President to review the implementation of his Vision for Space Exploration, concluded that NASA needed to transform itself into a leaner organization better able to focus on the exploration plan. Along those lines, the commission recommended that NASA's field centers be converted into federally-funded research and development centers (FFRDCs) operated by universities or nonprofit organizations for the agency. The commission also called on the Administration to create a Space Exploration Steering Council, analogous to the former National Space Council, to oversee the overall exploration effort. The commission concluded that the commercialization of space should be "a primary focus" of the vision, and called for prizes and other incentives for the private sector, and recommended NASA should hand over more responsibilities, including transport of virtually all payloads into low Earth orbit, to the private sector. The report was widely praised by space industry and advocacy organizations, although the details of its implementation have yet to be worked out by the Administration, Congress, and NASA.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, July 23
Shape-shifting mirrors on NASA’s new space telescope could unveil Jupiters like our own
Technology Review — 6:24 am ET (1024 GMT) JPL is opening its doors. When? T-minus three months and counting
Pasadena Star-News — 6:23 am ET (1023 GMT) Debrief: Weighing Risk In Human Spaceflight
Aviation Week — 6:22 am ET (1022 GMT) NASA Joins White House AI Initiative
Aviation Week — 6:21 am ET (1021 GMT) NASA Acknowledges Human Moon Base Challenges
Aviation Week — 6:21 am ET (1021 GMT) |
