Podcast Transcript
26 July 2006
Going to Farnborough Airshow with NASA
Bill Meara, Environment, Science and Technology Councellor at the American Embassy in London
Hello, my name is Bill Meara. I'm the Environment, Science and Technology officer at the American Embassy in London. This is the first in a series of PODCASTS in which we will try to share with listeners some of the fun and excitement that comes with covering Science and Technology issues here in the U.K. We'll also, of course, use this forum as part of our effort to explain to the public U.S. government science initiatives and policies.
I've been interested in Science and Technology ever since I was a kid. I grew up watching the moon landings of the Apollo program, built many model rockets and airplanes, watched Star Trek and devoured the science fiction of Arthur C. Clarke.
So you can imagine my reaction to news that official duties this year would require me to go to the UK's Farnboro Air Show. Just going to Farnboro would have been good enough, but the really special part of this trip was that I would be accompanying Dr. Michael Griffin, the Administrator of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration - the head of NASA. As I later told Dr. Griffin, for a space fan, it just doesn't get much better than that.
It was a real honor and privilege to accompany Dr. Griffin and his team to Farnboro. During the course of our visit we did get to see a few planes and watch some spectacular aerobatics, but the really rewarding part was watching the senior official of our space program talk about our vision for space exploration, and about how we hope to collaborate with other countries as we set out to explore the solar system.
In this podcast, I'd like to share with you the vision of the United States government on the future of space exploration, and talk about international cooperation in this effort. To do this, I'm going to read for you excerpts of a speech made by Dr. Griffin last year at the 56th International Astronautical Conference in Fukuoka, Japan.
The dawn of the true space age lies ahead of us. In a relatively short amount of time, I believe people around the globe will be able to look up at a new Moon, and with the aid of a strong telescope, be able to see the glimmering lights of a research station on the lunar surface manned by an international crew. Other astronauts, elsewhere, will be readying a 500 ton spaceship for mankind's first voyage to Mars.
Indeed, in the century that is just beginning to unfold, we will see human civilization begin to spread out into the Solar System, perhaps sooner than many people expect, as the result of a lot of hard work by the world's space agencies. I believe that NASA will be in a position to advance much of that progress. President Bush gave NASA a defining challenge and a new direction through the Vision for Space Exploration. This Vision commits our nation to a new journey of exploration of the solar system, beginning with a return of humans to the Moon by the end of the next decade, and leading to subsequent landings of pioneering astronauts on Mars.
In presenting the Vision, the President made clear that while he was determined to carry out the pioneering tradition the American people hold dear in our hearts, this new journey would involve extensive international cooperation. The President stated, "We'll invite other nations to share the challenges and opportunities of this new era of discovery. The vision I outline today is a journey, not a race, and I call on other nations to join us on this journey, in a spirit of cooperation and friendship."
One of our country's great statesmen, Senator John Warner of Virginia, recently submitted an amendment to legislation that addressed an important reason for promoting human spaceflight. "Human spaceflight," he asserted, "provides unprecedented opportunities for the United States to lead peaceful and productive international relationships with the world community in support of United States security and geo-political objectives." I can tell you from my perspective, we are tremendously appreciative of the opportunity that the ability to work with other nations has afforded us on projects such as the International Space Station. This cooperative endeavor serves as a model for what we can accomplish as we look ahead. If great nations seek out the great endeavors of their time, they do it best with allies and partners. Space exploration is the great endeavor of our time.
Please allow me to give you some insight into how we propose to accomplish the job of getting back to the moon, perhaps as soon as 13 years from now, and then conduct the first human exploration of Mars. I want to list some of the characteristics of the new exploration systems we will develop.
The new generation of spacecraft, launch vehicles and related systems will build upon the foundation of proven designs and technologies used in the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs, while having far greater capacity and capability. They will be able to carry larger and heavier cargos into space, carry more people to the Moon than Apollo, and remain for longer periods of time. Space will no longer be a destination visited briefly and tentatively. We will learn to live off the land.
As mentioned, we will develop two basic launch vehicles - one for crews and one for heavy cargo, in addition to our lunar landing vehicle.
Our lunar flight plan is based on that of the Apollo program, but the lander will carry four astronauts to the surface instead of two, with the crew exploration vehicle remaining in lunar orbit on autopilot.
In all of our planning, we wanted to ensure that we will develop a core transportation system that gives us a capability to go to Mars. We intend to use the Shuttle-derived heavy lifter we are developing for missions to the moon to support the assembly in low Earth orbit of a spaceship for a Mars voyage. With the heavy lifter, we can assemble a Mars spaceship in a matter of a few months, with no more than a half-dozen assembly flights, utilizing the historic launch complexes 39-A and -B at the Kennedy Space Center.
In all of our planning, we wanted to ensure that we will develop a core transportation system that gives us a capability to go to Mars. We intend to use the Shuttle-derived heavy lifter we are developing for missions to the moon to support the assembly in low Earth orbit of a spaceship for a Mars voyage. With the heavy lifter, we can assemble a Mars spaceship in a matter of a few months, with no more than a half-dozen assembly flights, utilizing the historic launch complexes 39-A and -B at the Kennedy Space Center.
I'm convinced that in the ways we are attacking the challenges presented by the President's Vision, we are setting the stage for a space program that will increase the opportunities we will all share to advance scientific knowledge and expand humanity's exploration horizons.
That conclude's the excerpts from Dr. Griffin's remarks.
As you can imagine, it was great fun to go to an air show with the guy who is leading mankind's exploration of the solar system. I was very proud of the bold plan laid out by Dr. Griffin, and by the way that he talked of our desire to work with other countries on this amazing endeavor.
Before I end this PODCAST, I'd like to add a personal note. I found the NASA administrator and his staff to be very nice people, very easy to work with. Dr. Griffin's only complaint was that I insisted on calling him Dr. Griffin - he wanted me to call him Mike. As he and his staff spoke about the long journey to Mars, I couldn't help thinking that they would be the kind of folks that you'd want with you on a long spaceflight to an unexplored planet.
Godspeed Mike Griffin!
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