New Administration Puts NASA In Tough Position
NASA is facing a critical deadline on whether to retire the space shuttle fleet, however, it still lacks an agency chief to make the $230 billion decision.
According to one presidential expert, NASA is so far off the White House radar, it might as well be on Pluto.
"As each day goes by, the need for these decisions becomes greater and greater, and the absence of an administrator becomes more and more an issue," said John Logsdon, a member of the NASA Advisory Council and former Obama campaign advisor.
The President’s science adviser has said the decisions on the shuttle fleet will not be made until NASA has a new administrator.Â
April 30 is a key deadline for the space agency. On that date the congressional rule governing the shuttle infrastructure will expire, leaving NASA free to take apart the shuttle program if they choose to do so.
Some members of Congress want to extend the shuttle deadline because retiring the shuttle fleet will mean that the U.S. must rely on Russia for trips to space for five years.
Also, according to a Congressional Budget Office report, NASA cannot carry out its current plans on its existing budget.Â
The report showed that NASA must delay the flight of new spacecraft, spend more money to meet the current schedule, or drastically cut back on science.
The space agency also has $1 billion in stimulus money, but has little direction as to how they will spend it.
More so than in past administrations, NASA is in need of a permanent boss. In previous administrations, the space agency focused on completing shuttle missions, but today the agency is in the early stages of a once-in-a-generation transition that will affect how Americans will travel into space for decades to come.
No other government agency has faced such large decisions without a leader.
According to a report issued by the Government Accountability Office last month, the plans to replace the shuttle, and take humans to Mars is expected to cost $230 billion.
The Obama administration has nominated nearly 200 officials, but has not yet nominated anyone for the NASA position.
"I think that tells you something," said Paul Light, a New York University public policy professor, and expert in presidential appointments.
"The lack of announced appointees is a sign of its priority within the administration. NASA has got Pluto status right now. As you know Pluto is no longer considered a planet," he added.
According to Light, finding a NASA administrator is difficult because the agency is the government’s third-largest source of contracts to industry. Finding someone without a conflict of interest is difficult.
If the White House does not order changes, NASA will probably begin dismantling the shuttle program, and begin on a path set by President George W. Bush to retire the shuttle by Oct 1, 2010, and build new spacecraft for use in 2015.
NASA declined to say if they would begin dismantling the shuttle program, but did say that retiring the shuttle “is a matter of national policy.”
In Obama’s February budget briefing, the President said he would continue to use the shuttle through 2010, but did not mention any plans for a new moon-mission spacecraft.
"My expectation is that NASA will be given marching orders and that they won’t be the same as that of the Bush administration," said Neal Lane, Rice University physicist and White House science adviser to former President Bill Clinton.
"They are still working on the old plan, and the clock is ticking," Lane added.
According to a statement released by acting Administrator Chris Scolese, "All NASA missions and programs are proceeding uninterrupted."
"The White House is fully engaged with NASA," said White House spokesman Nick Shapiro to AP. "As with all government agencies, it is important that NASA’s programs are properly matched to available resources."
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