Obama's Plan for NASA; Constellation Cut; Budget Increase

[KKM121]

Thank you for educating the people who think Obama is against NASA.

Thank you Obama for giving space exploration a bright future!!!

[ryannewellisg]

obama is retarded

[rickythepitbull]

Fuck obama..he's a piece of shit and who the fuck is he to decide we don't need to explore space..fuckin uncle tom illuminate asshole

[Kapitananime]

Obama's plan is to close down NASA and all human space flight. The plan to go to the Moon is the best idea for opening up the solar system. The new law that Obama signed NAA (The NASA Authorization Act) Calls for a the continued construction of ORION and an Ares V HLV. This can get NASA to an asteroid or the Moon. It will be the choice of another president after Obama Leaves office.

[5lupe5fiasco5]

We should basically stop funding so much money into curiousity... We dont need to send a man to the moon to bring back rocks ... Im not against the technology and how its growing and how it should continue to grow but maybe obama has a point.. We're not getting too much in return..

[reevesAstronomy]

@5lupe5fiasco5 There should be more money put into science research that is geared towards curiosity. The only big breakthroughs and discoveries are made this way. New technologies developed from these discoveries create entire new industries that drive the modern economy. That's quite a big return from a little bit of science funding. And Obama does believe that science (including NASA) should be funded.

And the Europeans exploring North America had no return...?

[DarPower1]

@2bpilot Sir, its just the shuttle program, we can still go to space, we just wont be using the expensive yet useless shuttles, and cancled the dumb trip to the moon to land the first man on Mars! Wow....Barack how evil, stop trying to preserve money!

[A86]

@DarPower1 - As much as I can't stand dumbass Teabagger mythology I don't like Obama's plan either. It's just blowing smoke to appease the public.

[jhock1985]

It seems anything space oriented, obama wants to destroy, its really sad.

[reevesAstronomy]

@jhock1985 I disagree, I think he's in favour of manned space exploration and space research, and the new path (although his input is almost zero) is better because of allowing commercial industry to get involved and allow for flexibility. The heavy lift rocket idea is great, but far too vague. SpaceX and other commercial industries are already almost ready to launch cargo and launch astronauts. NASA needs to focus on new and exciting stuff that private industry may not find profitable.

[AccessDenied55]

@jhock1985 I love space exploration and NASA, but I think what Obama did was right.

When you have a Trillion Dollars in debt, launch a Rocket that cost over a Million Dollars isnt that easy.

[Armigo91]

@GrayWolf673

Guns is a hobby, a addicting hobby. It can kill although i trust youll never use it for that purpose.

Im european and guns are illegal here, unless you have a certificate.

Í like guns, i like going to a local military base for public to go there and shoot targets.

And on youtube, theres a american, that cant bring up the consent that even although its not his deepest ambition, that its legalization does lead to characters that abuse it.

As murder by firearm happens a 100fold

[Armigo91]

compared to europe for example.

The only reason you call it a bitch because he takes a away your addicted hobby,

And you dont care whether its a safer choice, and you know so. Just so you can keep shooting.

Gl persuing that hobby of yours. A bulk of people in your country abuse the use of guns for other things.

But you dont care, as long as you can play your toys, dont you?

Americans are egocentric, weird, without care, and most of all stupid.

[DarPower1]

@Armigo91 You mean the technology we made and use (like the internet, y'know the thing you use) makes us stupid? Geez, thats what europeans dont own shit anymore.

[CaptainAmerica322]

Well aint that a bitch. There goes my chance and every other guy in my generation to be able to witness a moon landing...

[ObowMao666]

Obungle has America sleepwalking towards economic peril, sticking future generations with a burden of epic proportions. The brutal truth remains that Obungle has no plan in place to decrease the deficit, and continues pushing an outdated, Big Government mentality to bankrupt the world’s only superpower. America needs more economic freedom, less government, and huge cuts in spending to avert an impending crisis. Obungle is continuing his communist policies against the people. Impeach him now!

[DarPower1]

@ObowMao666 The point of this is to cut the spending, obviously. If he were he'd keep the program and make a bunch of expensive trips that require loans from the Chinese. So far, are economy has had a slow but very noticable recovery, I CANT SAY THE SAME FOR BUSH!

[jimmythesnagglepuss]

Obama is realy starting to piss me off

[DarPower1]

@jimmythesnagglepuss This is a good thing, you have to make tough decesions, cutting the shuttles is all, jeez. NASA is still going to space, bout to land americans on mars,

[ROCKNTV1]

good vid bro \m/

[playoffplaya]

idc what the hell we do just push the spage programs of human kind much farther than they are now. it is something that is crucial to human advancement. and we cant stay on this planet for another 500 years without colonizing at least 1 other planet

[JedyTubeSaber]

think what happen if the mobile phone was developed by goverment agancies. no iphone, no blacberry, ....thats what obama wants to do about space. if we comercialize or leave it tio privatre company, teir will reduce the cost and push create chepaer tech. spaceX is the future of APPLE OF AEROSPACE.

[izaccy]

@JedyTubeSaber Ironically is opposite as Obama have now given access for commercially space crafts to lift off,

hence the Iphone and blackberry of space have been allowed in to the market so we do not have to rely on the govt. agency NASA.

which ends the dominant NASA role and lets the private sector explore beyond the earth.

[davisgreen2020]

What is the design for a HLV ? Can this new rocket launch 180 tons to LEO and 71 tons the Moon and beyond like the Ares V ? Any news videos about that ?

[reevesAstronomy]

@davisgreen2020 Constellation is still being funded as there hasn't been a final vote for the 2011 budget in Congress. The development of a new heavy lift vehicle won't begin until after the budget is passed. I'm hoping for something equivalent in power, we'll have to wait and see.

[grantlo321]

Im currently working on a project with NASA developing a new type of interplanetary communication systems (along with other projects). I am lucky to work around people who have amazing ideas and concepts. while i have worked in the technical sector for most of my life, the short time ive been at NASA has literally changed the way i think and my views on life. it really makes me sad to even think that the possibility of real space exploration might not be in my lifetime. love ur video, GO NASA!!!

[reevesAstronomy]

@grantlo321 Thanks!

[M0Ta46]

wow mars...ill b 30 sumthing

[MMACHMP]

Why are they canceling the program? and the shuttle program? maybe because we already have another vehicle that we use to fly into space and its called the TR3B

[THATW3IRDKID]

I live 7 miles from NASA in Cape Canaveral and central Florida depends on NASA for work. Because Obama canceled the program, he is putting millions of people out of work and using the same amount of money to pay the Russians to take our men into space.

If there are private companies doing this then everyone will be screwed as a result. I'm 17 and I may not have a future because of this.... >:[

[reevesAstronomy]

@THATW3IRDKID They already were paying the Russians to send astronauts to space because the Space Shuttle is so expensive. Cape Canaveral will continue to be the prime location for launching rockets and all of the private companies are American so Americans will be employed. Within Florida there may be a few tens of thousands of jobs lost at worst. But a lot of people could be employed designing the next heavy lift vehicle or helping launch commercial vehicles.

[THATW3IRDKID]

@reevesAstronomy Then show me where the jobs are. I don't see anything for high school level entry.....

[reevesAstronomy]

@THATW3IRDKID What kind of job?

I'm not saying that Florida is (jobwise) going to be the best off, but overall America will be better off. Also, the constellation program is still going full steam (if you call the pace they were going at full steam) and the space shuttle program is still running. So the layoffs would likely be shortly (months) after the budget is finally passed. If I'm wrong, please correct me, this is based on what I have read.

[THATW3IRDKID]

@reevesAstronomy Any job for a high school student near CapeCanerveral.

[davisgreen2020]

My point was IF President Obama had put Dr. Zubrin at the head of NASA. He would kcked NASA in the ass ! Made them stop going over budget and finish the Ares 1 and Ares V. ON TIME!! Getting the President to forget about going back the the Moon But to go on to MARS ! Getting humans to set foot on MARS by 2020 or 2025 !! With the aim of human colonization of MARS!! Not the Moon. Although I would love to look up at the Moon by 2025. With humans there permanently!! Look up: Horizon: Moon for sale !

[davisgreen2020]

Why go back to drawing board ?? Constellation needed a kick in the ass NOT cancellation ! President Obama would have been bold put Dr. Robert Zubrin the head of NASA !! What new rocket will have the same lifting abitity as the ARES V ?? It was designed to lift 180 tons ! And 71 tons to the Moon !! You might well have a case for the replacement for Ares 1 ! Making it cheaper to get humans to space.But if a rock was heading to Earth it is the Constellation is up and running !!

[reevesAstronomy]

@davisgreen2020 Did you know that Robert Zubrin doesn't even support Constellation? Please use factually based arguments.

[davisgreen2020]

@reevesAstronomy . Dr Zubrin did not like the aims of Constellation, namely returning to Moon ! But after reading "The Case For Mars" Can you tell me Dr. Zubrin plan to send humans to MARS would not need a ARES V Heavy Lifting Rocket ??!! NO private rocket design comes even close to lifting capacity of 180 tons to orbit and 71 tons to the Moon NOT even the Space Shuttle !! Cancellation of the Ares V was foolish !! That a fact !! Read the book ! Look at HLV it´s nearly the same as Ares V !!!

[Kapitananime]

More Obama /Bolden Kool Aid. DRINK IT DOWN SON! The goal of Obama is to deconstruct Manned Space Flight. The Constellation was designed to send astronauts to inter planetary space. The Obama space policy would keep America in LEO for the next 4 decades. You keep saying the Moon but Obama said we have been there and done that. So you are wrong.

[tjohn6041]

You know his plan is bad when Obama's yes-men (Congress) are in strict opposition.

You also know it is bad when a large business (Boeing), who would make a large profit from Obamaspace, is still opposed.

It is sad when Big Businesses represent the people's interests better than the president.

[wwefanworld]

Stupid climate change fool. Put your propaganda some where else.

[TheZombieMass]

NASA as the gate keeper to space has long been tiresome. The marriage to Von Braun type launch vehicles has long passed. BUT this generation and country needs to step forward and spark this culture to a higher plateau. Constellation should be slowly pursued for the ultra heavy lift vehicle, while independent industry provides orbital capabilities. Watching the Space-X vehicle languish on the pad for 2 years to satiate bureaucrats has sucked, bad. Leaders lead to the highest potential.

[Tiberiusduck]

When will people get it. The militarization of our solar system began shortly after the Apollo program ended. The powers that be simply don't want the general public up there knowing their business.

All you get today is smoke and mirror politics to pacify the general public. Programs on one day and off the next.

NASA is a chicken with its head cut off and soon to be gutted body.

THERE WILL BE NO SPACE VENTURES FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC ..... EVER!!!

N.A.S.A. : NEVER A STRAIGHT ANSWER

[PenscratcherG]

thank you for flagging that my comp was lagging and I posted twice. sorry.

[PenscratcherG]

hello

[misclln]

Skip the moon....been there. Astroid....... why? it's a really big floating rock. Lets just go to mars already. I'll start saving for my ticket.

[tjohn6041]

Constellation will be on the Moon in 2022, Mars in 2030. Obamaspace would put us at an astroid in 2025, with Mars in 2035. His plan is illogically optimistic, the private sector will not cut space travel costs, remember to run a business you have to make a profit. Jonny claims that the new tech will be done before the Ares V would be completed (2018). You cannot take a vehicle from the drawingboard to space in 3 years and have it safe. The last time we did that 7 astronauts died.

[reevesAstronomy]

@tjohn6041 Constellations projections were overly optimistic.. at this point, no matter how much money is thrown at it, the Ares V won't be ready to fly until 2028. The 3 years would be to get a rocket ready (which could be flown first without passengers) and test it. The next moon lander isn't even going to be started until after Ares V is complete. I'm not saying Obama's plan is perfect or that it's guaranteed success, but it's worth a shot. And my name is Andrew, not Jonny. :)

[tjohn6041]

@reevesAstronomy I am not sure where you are getting your sources, Bolden, Chain mail? The Ares V-X will fly in 2018, cargo flights would start soon thereafter. At least with Constellation you can say that it has hardware. Obama has not offered a plan, he is just cleverly procrastinating. You seem to have a lot of faith in a politician that has already lied before on the subject. The Obamaspace plan will be welfare for commercial companies. It will get us to Mars, but on a Russian rocket.

[tjohn6041]

@reevesAstronomy And you say Constellation is overly optimistic, that like the pot calling the kettle black. Saying we can go to Mars faster than we can to the moon is borderline insanity, not just over-optimism. Let Me guess, you are one of the people who swallows Boldens words about it costing 1.6 Billion to launch a single Ares I (though it really costs 924 million to launch two). Obama thinks that the commercial sector will make a rocket super-cheap and safe, when pigs fly.

[reevesAstronomy]

@tjohn6041 I never said it would be faster to get to Mars than the Moon, nobody said that. They're planning on skipping the Moon and focussing on Mars. It takes less energy to make a Mars flyby than to land on the Moon and come back, but that doesn't make it easier. And no, I don't think it would cost that ungodly amount of money to launch an Ares I, but it still won't be "cheap." SpaceX's Falcon 9 will be launching this month for its first test flight! (est. $130 million per manned flight)

[tjohn6041]

What a misleading video. Funny, it claims that under Constellation, we will stay in low earth orbit for decades instead of exploring new planets. Bold means confident and courageous, which is exactly what Obamaspace is not. We currently are designing a heavy launch vehicle called the Ares V. Under this new plan, we would trash this, wait for five years (2015) and choose a design for something new. I wish Jonny Reeves would listen to what he is saying and realize Obamaspace will not work.

[PenscratcherG]

People I beg you not to listen to this guy. We have the technology right now to go to the moon and to mars. We already know how to build the spacecrafts and the propulsion systems to get us there. All it takes is a little bit of guts and can do attitude. I am tired of us sitting around in LEO. It has been fourty years since we went to the moon and our technological level is greatly improved.

[reevesAstronomy]

@PenscratcherG The space program's tech is mostly from the 70's when the shuttle was developed. I'm sure we could easily slap together something able to get to the Moon but we need to get the space program caught up with modern technology, otherwise going beyond will be impossible.

The new heavy lift systems in NASA's new budget are going to be started in 2015 with new tech and will be done well before the Ares V would have been completed.

[PenscratcherG]

@reevesAstronomy @reevesAstronomy

Constellation was overbudget but that is because NASA had its budget cut at the beginning of Obama's presidency. The US needs a heavy lifter. I don't think your going to convince me or anyone else that going back to the drawing board and spending another 9 billion dollars is a good direction or goal for NASA.

Please read "The Case for Mars" by Robert Zubrin, it is most illuminating and will show you a better plan than any laid down thus far.

[reevesAstronomy]

@PenscratcherG Obama didn't cut NASA's budget at the beginning of his presidency, he wouldn't have had the ability to until the 2010 budget. I have read some of "The Case for Mars." It is interesting and has some good points but a lot of it is science fiction (for now anyway). The Constellation program cannot and will not be able go beyond the Moon. Check out VASMIR rockets, they're similar to ion rockets except they're more powerful and will be tested on the space station in 2013.

[PenscratcherG]

@reevesAstronomy Ion rockets aren't going to get us to space. Once we get to space we can use either chemical or ion rockets. Hmm, we don't have ion rockets but lets wait a couple decades while NASA goes nowhere?

The Obama plan will further impede NASA not help it go to Mars and beyond. I don't mind free enterprise getting some of the action but we have the technology therefore we should go. Please read "The Case for Mars" by Robert Zubrin.

[PenscratcherG]

I am so sorry about the double posting please don't flag me my computer was lagging.

[fliptitimode]

nasa have been wasting money for friggin 40 years.....wtf?

[ciber101010101]

so true

[phantom1000A]

FUCK OBAMA!

[jim6584]

I couldn't agree with you more, reevesAstronomy. Constellation only gets us back to where we were in 1969. At the rate it was funded we were looking at about 2025 to 2030 before we could land on the moon only to do exactly what we did in 1969. The shuttle was a big mistake. We should of kept on the Apollo path I am am sure rather then the ISS we would have the IMB (moon base).

We need to create a deep space/mars enabled system. Stop at the moon to test and let's go!

[fobgirl19]

I have to say since the 80's as said nasa has been just circling doing the same thing for the past 30 years... I still think the shuttle program has some values as it can do mission no country can... hell it serviced hubble how many times?... if they maintain one shuttle as a back up for the next 5 years im sure it will find some use... but it will put alot of people out of work in cape canaveral, fl and their unemployment will top detroit,mi.. but overall its a better plan then I thought before

[reevesAstronomy]

@fobgirl19 Apparently it would cost some ridiculous amount of money to keep a shuttle ready to go (billions of dollars per year). It's going to be a rough few years for NASA's cape canaveral employees.

[SpammiMammi]

Like hitting the restart button :(

Fuel and supplies have to get into space, where is the heavy lift?

[reevesAstronomy]

@SpammiMammi There is funding in the budget to develop new technologies for heavy lift but no solid plans for the actual heavy lift rocket (yet). :(

[DragonSlayerZJ]

This video is supreme dude

i agreed with you Congress should not cancel the constellation program. The US would have to follow other countries in space technology not lead

[braveheart2013]

Worst idea i've ever heard of.

The constellation program was only like .5% of the federal budget. if we were serious about space exploration we'd fund everything you've highlighted in this video, and continue with our current plans to go to mars. Also, Obama spent more money on Acorn in his stimulus package, than what would be required to keep constellation alive for another year... makes you think...

[reevesAstronomy]

If the funding for both the Constellation program and Obama's new initiative were there it would be so much better. But, NASA will always have a limited budget and must do its best to get the most of that budget.

[monokhem]

@braveheart2013 Constilation needed budget increases and us giving up on the space station just a few years after it's built, all to have a rocket that might be able to fly by the late 2020's. That would have been the death of the US space program. Obama saved it.

[DarPower1]

@braveheart2013 Time for some lie breaking. The space program cost mills. It and the military budget are the highest budgets used in the country. So, we cut the defense budget or space. Make up your mind, which is less important. Plus its just the shuttle program, jeez they couldnt go far anyways. Nasa still got plans. No, Obama didnt spend more. Plus its a stimulus package, someing that just barely helped the economy. It wasnt much kid.

[DarPower1]

@braveheart2013 Plus, we cancled the expensive, totally not wanted, plan of taking long trips on the moon, and we now are toing to land Americans on Mars in 2030. Thats a way better payoff. We dont really need all that money just so that we can play with thw moon for even longer. Time to go, up and beyond. This is called progress.

[A86]

@DarPower1 - Totally not wanted? By whom? Most people don't seem to agree with Obama's cut. Obama's plan is expensive itself and unlike CxP it doesn't even go anywhere. Obama is calling for a flag & footprints mission to an asteroid with no hardware to get there. He has dedicated almost no money to his Congressionally-designed SLS rocket (which isn't even as powerful as the Saturn V) and even if he did it has nowhere to go. The Orion can't support 4 men on a several-month roundtrip.

[A86]

@DarPower1 - The main problem with CxP was the lack of funding and committment. Obama's plan suffers from those same two problems and the added problem of a lack of hardware and technology to do what the nebulous goal is and no plans on how to achieve anything after the flags & footprints asteroid mission. It's just 20 years of drawing plans on a chalkboard and handing out money to private spacers to make space hotels (I like the private spacers too but it won't get us to Mars or even the Moon).

[bshieldsbb01]

For any critics that claim space exploration is too costly, consider:

Total cost of the Iraq war so far =

1 Trillion$

And that's just the direct cost.

And what did it buy?

[reevesAstronomy]

The worst part is that money could have funded multiple flights to Mars or even been used to fund all areas of science research.

[SuperMagnetizer]

With the retirement of the Shuttle, and if the cancellation of Constellation is carried out, America will no longer be a spacefaring nation.

[reevesAstronomy]

Virgin Galactic will be launching people into suborbital space by the end of 2010 and SpaceX might be ready to launch people to the space station by 2012 or 2013.

[nmywind]

The best narrative I've heard for the new budget, very convincing, there's only one little problem looming over our heads like an 8 kilometer wide asteroid coming in at 25 km/s! our budget deficit currently stands at around 12.5 trillion and counting! I'm all for spending whatever it takes but one has to consider the unthinkable, and this is no joke, we might go 3'rd world man! our interest payments alone in FY09 were 383 billion, total NASA budget in FY09...19 billion, I'm beyond nervous!

[AdamEtheredge]

A fine vid. I'm very angry about the Constellation cancellation. However, you point out some positives worth considering. Do you really think that private firms can replace Constellation and what NASA has (hasn't) done?

[reevesAstronomy]

@AdamEtheredge I am a little worried that private firms will have trouble delivering, but I have strong expectations that will be plenty capable of putting people into low Earth orbit. SpaceX, for example, has designed a rocket capable of carrying people and has its first launch in Spring of this year. Then they will deliver cargo to the space station over the next few years. When approved, they will start bringing astronauts up with that rocket. Constellation would have taken until 2018.

[AdamEtheredge]

Alright, you have a point.

If private firms can get us up there faster, and allow NASA to spend all of its time exploring the Outer Frontier, then I'm all for it.

I just have this fear that Space will be the american version of the Pyrimids: a nice story, but we haven't the foggiest how it could have ever been done, so it's probably more of a myth...

[royyu137]

Best video I have ever seen. Kudos!

[reevesAstronomy]

@royyu137 Thanks!

[biblethumper098]

The biggest problem with NASA is the two parties (both Dem and Rep) play to tog of war with it. The shuttle is over with this year, and they think the best thing to do know is to start over? B.S.

Work with what is in development and use private industry (kick some butts if need be, to get it done). If you want to fix the red tap in NASA thats ok but to start from scratch? Will be a mistake! Mark my words.

[reevesAstronomy]

I'm pretty sure they're going to use technologies from the Constellation program, but the political tug-of-war is extremely irritating. Hopefully whatever replacement program Obama starts will stick, but that might be a little too optimistic.

[greglmccloud]

I like some of these ideas but here is and ideai wish that could be considered..instead of looking up for were there used to be life or water what about looking into our own seas. face it , we will never colonize the moon or Mars...Why piss that money away ...Feed someone teach someone house someone please

[reevesAstronomy]

We have the technology to go to the Moon and Mars, not the exact rocketry and spaceships, but the general technology is ready. I like to think of it as similar to the Europeans going over to North America hundreds of years ago.

Looking in the ocean would be under NOAA's budget, not NASA's.

Helping poor people instead seems like a good idea at first, but why not take the money out of the defence budget? Plus spinoffs from NASA have made the world better. (eg: kidney dialysis)

[greglmccloud]

I do feel the same.on your view about military spending deverted too poor or unemployed uneducated .I think NASA 's tech. sould have more practical uses..

[saglek]

Good read. Not sure I agree, totally, but prediction is such an inexact science.

Nice edit, too, Jonny!

[KarriKoivusalo]

I raged at first too but then I began thinking about VentureStar, NASP, Delta Clipper, CRV... They were the building blocks in commercial space utilization NASA canceled in favor for other  goals. So is it basically saying those projects should be restarted? Then, who's to rage about that? Not me!

[musclerocker]

Im still pissed off at this Bullshit. My dad worked for apollo 8 on stage two rocket for the shuttle. Freaken A that means the next maned space USA mission maybe until 2030 Maybe but 2040 seems more realistic.

While other countries will beat us like (Russia, China,England and India) The moon is a gold mine there are alot of minerals on there the first countrie that goes there there going to have success! :(

[reevesAstronomy]

Constellation was so far behind it wasn't going to be ready for Moon mission until after 2028 (Augustine commission's conclusion).

It's still sad, but I'll keep my fingers crossed the research dollars promised in the budget will speed up the next generation of rocket.

[mrmaciejm]

This is the new beginning for NASA

[propaghandi2]

Wow, i did not see it this way, o was one unhappy camper before i saw this video, BUT your point are strong....gr8 video 5 on 5!

[KingDingaLing090]

@propaghandi2 dont be a sucker. We are no longer going to space, instead now we are going to pack Al Gore's pockets with billions of dollars to fight the dumbest lie ever told called global warming.

There's no way this chump reevesAstronomy gives a flying fuck about the US space program. He is a plant from Obama to keep people like you thinking positive about this outrageous decision to destroy our space program.

[reevesAstronomy]

@KingDingaLing090 Of course I care about the American space program! It's the only space program with the finances and resources to send manned missions to other worlds.

Just because I live in Canada doesn't mean I don't care about what goes on in America. Canada will never have a manned space program so it will always be dependent on the United States to send our astronauts into space. If the US space program goes down the drain, so does Canada's.