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PLEASE ONLY SIGN THIS PETITION BY VISITING WWW.SAVENASA.US. OTHERWISE, YOUR SIGNATURE WILL NOT BE COUNTED.
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Congressional Representatives of the United States
The United States Congress
Washington, D.C.

Dear Our Congressional Representatives of the United States,

The dreams, the hopes, the ambitions, and the aspirations of us, the students of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and other colleges across the country, are on the verge of complete destruction. We, the students representing the organization Save NASA!, are thousands of members strong and are exponentially growing at a rate of a few hundred members stronger every day. We are all working together to accomplish a common goal which is shared by millions of other Americans. On February 15, 2010, the Obama Administration released its new budget proposal for 2011 which brings NASA’s human space exploration program to an end and cancels this country’s dream of returning to the moon and remaining an advanced, well defined, and distinguished space capable nation. We have one clear message to send you, Congress, and the people of the United States; don’t let this country’s human space exploration program die.

On January 14, 2004, President Bush announced the future of our country’s human exploration program, project Constellation. In his speech, he said, “Mankind is drawn to the heavens for the same reason we were once drawn into unknown lands and across the open sea. We choose to explore space because doing so improves our lives, and lifts our national spirit. So let us continue the journey.” Unless you all, the congressional representatives of the United States, act swiftly and tactfully, this journey will soon come to an end.

Our organization comprises students from across the United States and the world who are united in an opposition against the crisis our space program is now facing. The main objective of our cause is to convince you all, our congressional representatives, to thwart the Obama Administration’s plans which call for the ceasing of funding of NASA’s moon exploration program which lays the foundation for exploration to the moon, Mars and beyond.

On May 25, 1961, former President John F. Kennedy challenged the American people to land a man on the moon by the end of the decade. The truly remarkable and inspiring Apollo program brought a wave of new knowledge and technology to the American people and the world. The program delivered incredible advancements in the fields of rocketry and aeronautics, as well as the fields of mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering. The program basically delivered incredible advancements in all fields of scientific endeavor. The technological revolution sparked by the program led to the creation of great technological achievements and the acquirement of an incredible amount of knowledge. Just a few technological inventions created in the field of health, in part, due to the program, include programmable pacemakers, MRI tests, breast cancer detection methods, ultrasound scanners, portable x-ray devices, implantable hearing aids, voice-controlled wheel chairs, and cataract surgery tools. This list is amongst many other technological breakthroughs which were all the result of one program, one effort, and one dream – the Apollo program. If the budget for 2011 is changed to continue NASA’s space exploration program, this organization can promise you all and the American people that another technological revolution will occur and technological breakthroughs will continue unabated.

The panel of the Augustine Committee created a detailed list of options President Obama could choose from for the future of NASA. As Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon and a member of the committee, explained, “The report strongly suggested the nation move away from the … rocket program, called Ares 1, and both extend the life of the space station and develop commercial ways of sending astronauts and cargoes up to the station.” Aldrin goes on to say, “…it would redirect NASA towards developing the capability of voyaging to more distant locations in space, such as rendezvous with possibly threatening asteroids, or comets, or even flying by Mars to land on its moons.” While Aldrin’s suggested plan does seem very appealing and convincing, it lacks one fundamental segment which is visible in all well managed engineering projects – a timeline. Former NASA administrator, Mike Griffin also took note of the poorly prepared budget. He said, \"President Obama\'s decision, if it is indeed to be as is rumored today, leaves NASA and the nation with no program, no plan, and no commitment to any human spaceflight program beyond that of today.”

The sketchy plan which the Obama Administration has outlined for NASA states that NASA’s human space exploration funding will be diverted to private enterprises. By doing that, he states among other things that it will fund private enterprises to venture into space. Essentially, this means that the space industry will begin to be dominated by private industries. We whole heartedly support the privatization of space and funding of private company’s space programs. However, with billions of dollars being poured into a new program which has absolutely no plans, no dates, and no timeline for the future of these company’s space programs, it would be a failure of leadership to end our quickly progressing space program in support of these vague private company space programs. In fact, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, has stated that the proposed budget’s goal is to arrive at the moon. To clarify just how vague, unorganized, and poorly thought out this proposed human exploration program is, he was doubtlessly stating that this proposed plan’s goal shares the same goal as the plan that he and the Obama Administration are attempting to cancel. That goal is to return to the moon. Furthermore, it is important to keep in mind that these private industries are profit driven, and if exploring the moon or Mars does not create profit for these companies, then they will not go. NASA, on the other hand, is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to explore and increase this world’s understanding of our universe. If we continue on the journey which former President Bush so eloquently laid out for us, we will arrive at the moon by about the year 2020, and we will arrive at Mars by about the year 2030. If we continue with President Obama’s plans, by the year 2030, humans may just be, again, entering into long term orbit of the Earth and again, rendezvousing with the International Space Station. This will all be happening while countries around the world are leading the way for human space exploration. We tremble to see the day when other countries are making fantastic strides in technology while the United States is working on developing technology and accomplishing goals made decades ago.

The International Space Station is a factor in this debate as well. The year is now 2010, and the space station is nearing the end of its planned life span. For sure, the life of the International Space Station needs to be extended. It is only now that more advanced and complex experiments are starting to be performed. The International Space Station is an effort not only of the American people but of the entire world. Together as an international community of diverse races, all nations must come together and unite. It is the obligation of us and our partners to work together to continue with plans to extend the life of the International Space Station to the planned date of 2020. In an effort to control spending, as a possible solution to the funding issue, it is our resolution that we believe the life of the space station should be extended to the year 2020 as an international financial effort and not only a United States effort.

Part of President Obama’s reasoning for choosing to end NASA’s human space exploration program and begin supporting this new program is that the new program will create new jobs. However, it seems that the Obama Administration and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden have overlooked the fact that thousands of jobs will be lost from NASA. These people along with their human spaceflight expertise will be forced to relocate with no guarantee that their new jobs will utilize their expertise; therefore, the human space flight industry is now on the verge of experiencing an irrecoverable loss. The current constellation program has created thousands of jobs within NASA and its nongovernmental partners and will continue to do so in the years to come. The most critical and controversial segment of our organization’s cause is the root of this debate – the 2011 proposed budget for our country. Financing of the constellation program is partially the reason why President Obama has called for its cancellation. This nation is in a recession and money is not plentiful. However, with greater strides in technology coming soon with the progress of the Constellation program, so few other efforts so great can stimulate our economy to such a great extent. What our country needs right now and what the world needs right now is a goal, an inspiration, a dream, the development of new technology, and a strong economy.

The mission we all make together to the moon does not have to be a purely scientific and educational mission. Radiation from our sun has been hitting our moon for millions of years. This radiation, referred to as solar wind, has caused the radioactive isotope, Helium-3, to deposit across the surface of the moon. To an incredible advantage to us, this isotope is a valuable source of energy. If this resource is utilized and managed correctly, it could become this country’s leading source of natural energy. As professor John Santarius, a professor at Fusion Technology Institute, had put it, “if the space shuttle were capable to travel to the moon and fill its cargo hold completely full with the moon sand, there will be enough Helium-3 in the payload bay to power the United States for one year.” History has proven that countries with abundant natural resources often become wealthy. The funding generated from this effort can both help support the missions to our moon, and if managed correctly, revive our economy. Beyond that, it will pave the way for financing the dreams of so many Americans when the day comes that humans finally step foot on Mars for the first time. What our country needs right now, what our nation’s economy needs right now, and what the American people need right now is for the next generation of American astronauts to gather and bring home this Helium-3 and revolutionize our country’s natural resource infrastructure and our economy. Our organization respectfully recommends that the planned missions to the moon be scientific missions but also be missions focused on reviving our economy. In an effort to greatly improve the funding issue our country faces right now, we implore Congress to take positive action, and explore the viability of collecting this vital and clean energy source, Helium-3, from our moon.

Getting to the moon will be a strenuous and difficult endeavor as it was in the 1960’s. We recognize the financial strain our country faces. However, it would be an invaluable investment for our country and for our international partners to continue on as planned. We, the members of the Save NASA! cause, looking into the future to the year 2030, don’t envision a slowly reviving country or a country whose space program is merely orbiting the Earth. With the Constellation program successfully in place, well managed and well funded, we see into the year 2030 at a thriving world economy with the United States flag firmly planted in the Martian soil alongside the footsteps of the American people.

In summary, we the members of the organization Save NASA!, currently being thousands of members strong, believe it is in best interest for our country and for the American people that we continue on our journey laid out by President Bush in January of 2004. President Obama, who would not even personally or publically present the radical, unorganized, proposed plans, has laid out a budget which will not suit the needs of NASA or the eager, hoping, and dreaming American people. We believe leaving our country completely reliant on unaccomplished, private industries for unclear human space exploration and abandoning our country’s space program will cause unintended consequences and ultimately be among the worst and most damaging mistakes ever made in America’s history. We the members of Save NASA! concur with Representative Alan Grayson when he stated that he believes that the proposed plan will turn NASA into a “faith based initiative” with the American people completely relying on private companies who may never even reach long term Earth orbit no matter how much money is spent on the plan. Also, as Representative Bill Posey of Florida put it so well, this may very well amount to “the slow death of our nation’s human space flight program.”

At this, the hardest of times in our country’s history, the American people need to see accomplishment, hope, a sense of pride in our country’s space program, and a quick, efficient economic recovery. Imagine children in elementary school watching a rocket launch on television for the first time. The students are being told that if they work hard enough, they too can make that great accomplishment of riding in that space bound rocket. Imagine these students going off to college to study mathematics, science, and engineering – which are high demand fields with so few participants – all in pursuit of this, the American dream. Now imagine those students finding out that the space program was cancelled along with their dreams. Such students would contemplate whether or not they should abandon their studies, and they would doubt whether dreams really do come true. Those students are us, the students of Save NASA! along with millions more.

What our country needs right now are great technological advancements. What our country needs right now are great improvements in our economy. And finally, what our country needs right now is for the distinguished and talented engineers and scientists across the country to be able to make our country’s dreams a reality which will, in turn, make an incredible, positive impact on all of our lives in countless ways. Because you have the power vested in you by the Constitution of the United States, we plead with all of you, our congressional representatives, to reject President Obama’s budget proposal and continue the American dream.

Sincerely,

Sam Patel
Save NASA! President

Brian Cleaver
Save NASA! Vice President

The members of Save NASA!

Our member’s signatures are enclosed, and more signatures are available on the organization’s paper petition.

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PLEASE ONLY SIGN THIS PETITION BY VISITING WWW.SAVENASA.US. OTHERWISE, YOUR SIGNATURE WILL NOT BE COUNTED.
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