Advisory Committee on the Future of the United States Space Program
Encyclopedia
The Advisory Committee on the Future of the United States Space Program (also known as the Augustine Commission) was a 1990 space policy
group requested by Vice President Dan Quayle
, chairman of the National Space Council
. The objective of the committee was to evaluate the long-term future of NASA
and the United States civilian space program. The committee's final report (known as the Augustine Report) recommended that the space program should comprise five activities—space science
, earth science
, human spaceflight
, space technology
and space transportation—with space science as the highest priority for funding. It also proposed an unmanned launch vehicle to replace some space shuttle
launches, and a scaled-back redesign of space station Freedom
.
At a dinner with Vice President Quayle and committee members, Office of Management and Budget director Richard Darman
argued that the low priority projects would be eliminated during the budget process. The committee members decided to change their report. Space science was still given first priority, but the other activities were assigned equal priority behind space science.
After discussing the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
the executive summary of the committee's report recommended, "saving the Space Shuttle for those missions requiring human presence."
Space policy
Space policy is the political decision-making process for, and the application of, public policy regarding space exploration. It includes policy regarding a country's civilian space program, as well as its policy on both military use and commercial use of outer space...
group requested by Vice President Dan Quayle
Dan Quayle
James Danforth "Dan" Quayle served as the 44th Vice President of the United States, serving with President George H. W. Bush . He served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the state of Indiana....
, chairman of the National Space Council
National Space Council
The National Space Council was a body within the Executive Office of the President of the United States, which existed from 1989 to 1993 during the administration of George H.W. Bush...
. The objective of the committee was to evaluate the long-term future of NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
and the United States civilian space program. The committee's final report (known as the Augustine Report) recommended that the space program should comprise five activities—space science
Space science
The term space science may mean:* The study of issues specifically related to space travel and space exploration, including space medicine.* Science performed in outer space ....
, earth science
Earth science
Earth science is an all-embracing term for the sciences related to the planet Earth. It is arguably a special case in planetary science, the Earth being the only known life-bearing planet. There are both reductionist and holistic approaches to Earth sciences...
, human spaceflight
Human spaceflight
Human spaceflight is spaceflight with humans on the spacecraft. When a spacecraft is manned, it can be piloted directly, as opposed to machine or robotic space probes and remotely-controlled satellites....
, space technology
Space technology
Space technology is technology that is related to entering, and retrieving objects or life forms from space."Every day" technologies such as weather forecasting, remote sensing, GPS systems, satellite television, and some long distance communications systems critically rely on space infrastructure...
and space transportation—with space science as the highest priority for funding. It also proposed an unmanned launch vehicle to replace some space shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
launches, and a scaled-back redesign of space station Freedom
Space Station Freedom
Space Station Freedom was a NASA project to construct a permanently manned Earth-orbiting space station in the 1980s. Although approved by then-president Ronald Reagan and announced in the 1984 State of the Union Address, Freedom was never constructed or completed as originally designed, and after...
.
Original recommendations
In its original report, the committee ranked five space activities in order of priority:- Space science
- Technology development
- Earth science
- Unmanned launch vehicle
- Human spaceflight
At a dinner with Vice President Quayle and committee members, Office of Management and Budget director Richard Darman
Richard Darman
Richard Gordon Darman , known as Dick Darman, was an American economist and businessman who served under five U.S. presidents but is best remembered as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget during the administration of George H. W...
argued that the low priority projects would be eliminated during the budget process. The committee members decided to change their report. Space science was still given first priority, but the other activities were assigned equal priority behind space science.
After discussing the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986, when Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, leading to the deaths of its seven crew members. The spacecraft disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of central Florida at 11:38 am EST...
the executive summary of the committee's report recommended, "saving the Space Shuttle for those missions requiring human presence."
Members
The committee had twelve members in total, with one chairman and one vice chairman.- Norman Augustine (chairman), CEO of Martin MariettaMartin MariettaMartin Marietta Corporation was an American company founded in 1961 through the merger of The Martin Company and American-Marietta Corporation. The combined company became a leader in chemicals, aerospace, and electronics. In 1995, it merged with Lockheed Corporation to form Lockheed Martin. The...
- Laurel Wilkening (vice chairman), provost of the University of WashingtonUniversity of WashingtonUniversity of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
- Edward Aldridge, president of the McDonnell Douglas Electronic Systems Company
- Joseph Allen, former astronautAstronautAn astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
and president of Space Industries International - D. James BakerD. James BakerD. James Baker is an American scientist who was trained as a physicist, practiced as an oceanographer, and has held science and management positions in academia, non-profit institutions, and government agencies. He a former Under Secretary of Commerce for Atmosphere and Oceans and Administrator...
, president of Joint Oceanographic Institutions - Edward BolandEdward BolandEdward Patrick Boland was a politician from the state of Massachusetts. A Democrat, he was a representative from Massachusetts's 2nd congressional district....
, former Massachusetts congressman - Daniel Fink, former senior vice president of General ElectricGeneral ElectricGeneral Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
- Don FuquaDon FuquaDon Fuqua is a U.S. Democratic politician.Fuqua graduated from the University of Florida in 1957. He was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives from Florida and served from January 3, 1963 to January 3, 1987.During most of his congressional career, Fuqua maintained his...
, president of the Aerospace Industries Association of America - Robert Herres, former commander of the United States Space CommandUnited States Space CommandThe United States Space Command was a Unified Combatant Command of the United States Department of Defense, created in 1985 to help institutionalize the use of outer space by the United States Armed Forces. The Commander in Chief of U.S...
- David Kerns, chairman of XeroxXeroxXerox Corporation is an American multinational document management corporation that produced and sells a range of color and black-and-white printers, multifunction systems, photo copiers, digital production printing presses, and related consulting services and supplies...
- Louis Lanzerotti, chairman of the Space Studies Board
- Thomas PaineThomas O. PaineThomas Otten Paine , American scientist, was the third Administrator of NASA, serving from March 21, 1969 to September 15, 1970.During his administration at NASA, the first seven Apollo manned missions were flown...
, former NASA administrator
See also
- Criticism of the Space Shuttle programCriticism of the Space Shuttle programCriticism of the Space Shuttle program stems from claims that NASA's Shuttle program has failed to achieve its promised cost and utility goals, as well as design, cost, management, and safety issues. More specifically, it has failed in the goal of reducing the cost of space access...
- Review of United States Human Space Flight Plans CommitteeReview of United States Human Space Flight Plans CommitteeThe Review of United States Human Space Flight Plans Committee was a group reviewing the human spaceflight plans of the United States...
- Space Exploration InitiativeSpace Exploration InitiativeOn July 20, 1989, the 20th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing, George H. W. Bush — then President of the United States — announced plans for what came to be known as the Space Exploration Initiative...
External links
- Report of the Advisory Committee on the Future of the U.S. Space Program NASA History Division
- Principal Recommendations of the Augustine Commission, 1990 NASA Public Affairs Office