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In 2004, President Bush articulated a vision for NASA that included a return of humans to the Moon by the year 2020. In order to accomplish this, he proposed a launch vehicle to replace the aging Space Shuttle Program, that was due to be retired in 2011. This program was called Constellation, which borrowed heavily from the Apollo program that first put humans on the moon in the 1960s and was generally viewed as its successor. One supporter specifically described the plan as “Apollo on Steroids.”
However, by 2010, the Constellation program was behind schedule and several billion dollars over budget. President Obama, who articulated his own vision for NASA’s space exploration, cancelled the program, instead advocating that the U.S. begin to rely on the private sector to provide space flight. He also cancelled the goal of returning to the moon, instead stating that the U.S. should focus on sending humans to a near earth asteroid and eventually to place humans on Mars. Despite this, he did not revive the Space Shuttle program, which flew its final flight in July 2011.
The affirmative would restore and fully fund the Constellation program and revive President Bush’s goals. It argues that the United States is currently the leader in space programs. It has the most advanced technology and other countries look to it to provide guidance on what to do with their own space programs. This space leadership is based mainly on the U.S.’s ability to consistently and safely launch humans into space, something that will end under the Obama plan. Until the private sector can come up with a replacement for Constellation, U.S. astronauts will have to pay for rides on Russian spacecraft, a major blow to America’s international prestige.
It also argues that cancelling the Constellation program negatively impacts America’s industrial base, the companies that have traditionally made the rockets that NASA has designed and used to explore space. NASA and the government are the main customers of these companies, and cancelling Constellation means that their business will be negatively impacted. Also, without a clear program to send humans into space, the affirmative argues that students will be less likely to pursue careers in science and engineering, which will further erode the industry.
Restoring the Constellation program will provide an opportunity for Americans to return to the moon. Constellation was behind schedule because it never received adequate funding. Fully funding the program will solve many of the problems that ultimately caused President Obama to cancel it.
Glossary
Space Shuttle – A rocket launched spacecraft used to make repeated human trips into space. It was active from 1981 till 2011.
Vision for space exploration - A broad strategy for NASA created by President Bush and delivered in 2004. Key elements included a manned return to the moon by 2020, as well as developing a reusable launch vehicle whose main purpose would be to complete the moon mission (the Constellation program), and eventually to send a human mission to Mars, but without a concrete date.
Apollo – The Apollo program ran from 1961 to 1972 and was the NASA program that was tasked with sending humans to the moon.
Deep space – The term means several things, but most commonly refers to space outside Earth’s orbit.
Heavy-lift launch vehicle – A class of rocket that can move the heaviest payloads into space. Human missions into space exclusively have used heavy-lift vehicles, while the launch of merely a satellite could be accomplished with a smaller rocket
Saturn V – The booster rocket that launched the Apollo missions into space. It is a type of Heavy-lift launch vehicle
Heavy lift booster – refers to the rocket that sends something into orbit, as opposed to the satellite or space shuttle that it may be delivering
Hubble – Space telescope launched in 1990 by the Space Shuttle. It is famous for recording images of space far beyond our Solar System.
Industrial base - the companies that collectively make a product. For example, the space industrial base includes companies like Boeing and Lockheed Martin that produce planes and other missile technology
Privatize – Allowing businesses to take over tasks in space traditionally performed by the government
Space Coast – A region of Florida east of Orlando where many of NASA’s space launches occur
Sputnik – A Soviet space program. Sputnik 1 was the first artificial satellite to be put into Earth’s orbit, in 1957
Forsake – to abandon or give up on something
Abdicate – to renounce or fail to undertake a responsibility
Abrogate – to repeal or do away with something (especially a law or formal agreement)
Unilateral – an action undertaken without consultation or notification of other relevant parties.
Prestige - Respect and admiration felt for someone or something on the basis of their achievements or quality
Incipient – beginning to come into being or being apparent
Hegemony – Leadership or dominance by a country. Most agree that the US currently has hegemony because ot its strong military and economic power.
Hyperpower – Another term for hegemony.
Globalization – increasing interconnectedness of the world through advanced communication technology and economic interactions
Apolarity – An unstable world without any international order
Perishable – likely to decay or go bad quickly
Trade surplus – When a country exports to other countries more than it imports.
Anglophone – Countries that are Anglophone share basic cultural similarities with England, usually former English colonies. England, Canada, and the United States are Anglophone countries.
Market creation – Literally creating a market for a product, usually be many a government or other actor exhibiting a sustained demand for a product that does not yet exist
NASA – National Aeronautics and Space Administration
ISS – International Space Station
LEO – Low Earth Orbit (within 2000 km of the Earth’s surface.) With the exception of the Apollo missions that went to the moon, every mission into space has not left LEO. The International Space Station operates in LEO
STEM – Refers to education in the subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.
ASAT – Anti-Satellite. ASAT Weapons are designed to neutralize or destroy orbiting satellites.
CEV – Crew Exploration Vehicle. A component of the Constellation program
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