Norman Augustine on the Coming Review Focusing on the Human Aspects of the US Space Program. (May 22, 2009)

On May 9 TFW reported that Norman Augustine, former CEO of Lockheed Martin, was to lead a 90-day review of NASA's human space flight program. The members of the panel Mr Augustine is to chair has yet to be named and while he didn't want to speak for them, he did share some thoughts with Science's Jeffrey Mervis.

Here are a couple of excerpts:

Science: You told appropriators in the House of Representatives recently that you think NASA's budget should be on the same doubling path as the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy's science programs.

N.A.: It's my personal view that any agency performing basic research should be on that path, and that includes NASA.

Science: Will the panel also review NASA's space science program?

N.A.: The focus of our effort is on the human space program. But we will also be looking at the science programs that are associated with human flight. That includes aspects that might better be done without human involvement. ... For example, we might look at the idea of a precursor mission, with a robotic probe, before you get humans involved. That would tell you if it even makes sense to go where you want to go.

Science: Would that be a new approach for NASA?

N.A.: Yes, I don't know that they have done that in the past. And I'm not saying that we would [suggest it]. But I think we'd at least want to look at that possibility. The previous [1990] study made the point that there are certain things that humans can do that robotics cannot, and vice versa. And I think it's important to keep that in mind as we go forward.

Science: What's your goal for the commission?

N.A.: Hopefully, we'll be able to recommend a way forward, but in a fiscally responsible manner.

Interestingly, the White House has yet to name the new administrator for NASA. The recent tip that former astronaut Charles Bolden Jr was all but certain to be named has proved unfounded. President Obama told the astronauts repairing the HST during a congratulatory transmission: "We’re soon gonna have a new NASA administrator; I can’t disclose it to you because I’ve got to have some hoopla on the announcement back here on Earth."

It's possible that consultations involving Mr Augustine will have some influence on the decision.