NASA’s Renewable Opportunity

In an op-ed published July 27, 2009, in Space News [“Changing to Renewable Space Transportation”], I asked, “Why, in this era of change and emphasis on renewable and reusable resources, is NASA investing its future space transportation development on ancient and wasteful concepts — throwaway rocket systems.” It was suggested that rather than continuing with the Ares program, which would only modernize Apollo-era concepts, NASA should focus on moving the U.S. commercial and civil space activities forward by developing 21st-century technology for reusable space transportation systems. This focus would resolve the key problems inhibiting space growth — lack of safe, routine flights that can lower the cost of traveling to and from space and increase the commercial use of space for business and pleasure. It was further noted that existing commercially available and developing rocket systems, such as those offered by Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Orbital Sciences, Space Exploration Technologies or foreign boosters, could satisfy near-term needs.