Broadcast 238 (Special Edition)

Dr. Paul Spudis, Senior Staff Scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland and Visiting Scientist at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, Texas, was the guest on this Space Show program. Dr. Spudis is also a member of the President’s Commission on the Implementation of U. S. Space Exploration Policy, whose report came out in June of 2004. During the program, Dr. Spudis talked about his experiences on the President's Commission, went into detail regarding some of the components of the report and the President's vision, and fielded many questions from Space Show listeners. The questions addressed the need to use the Moon as a stepping stone to Mars, robotic space exploration versus human space exploration, just how politics might play a role in implementing the Commission's report as well as influencing Americans regarding the objectives outlined in the report. We also talked about presidential politics and space policy, why space development, NASA, and space exploration needs to be above partisan politics, and the risks to us all if we don't move forward developing space resources. Dr. Spudis discussed space property rights and their importance to space development and the work done by the Aldridge committee, as well as the attitude within NASA about risk taking with the human space program. We discussed the difference between entrepreneurial space businesses and those associated with the large aerospace industry and just how each segment influenced the work carried out by the President's commission. You won't want to miss this program as this is your opportunity to hear about this important policy, the committee's work, changes within NASA, and how best to implement a new space vision straight from a scientist involved in doing all of the above.