Alan Stern on Reconnecting NASA via Space Applications

Imagine reconnecting NASA - Alan Stern at The Space Review - Stern's vision for a reformed NASA seems to be similar to that of Space Applications, although he'd like to get the needed funding by keeping programs within their budgets rather than shrinking or removing the Ares rockets and associated hardware. I'd suggest that one way to help keep programs within budget is simply to make them smaller and therefore easier to manage (from a "management" perspective as well as a political perspective). That's why I recommend lots of small application-oriented NASA missions, and it's one reason (among several) that I recommend shrinking or removing Ares and replacing them with commercial space transportation and practical space applications.

Stern advocates many of the same application areas that are stressed here, like education, environment monitoring, aeronautics, and commercial space development.

Seed Corn

Many organizations will respond to reduced budgets by protecting their big, remarkably expensive programs at all cost, and, to do that, will immediately eliminate virtually all of the small, low-cost programs and "different" approaches to meeting mission needs.

- James R. Wertz, president of Microcosm, Space News, October 27, 2008