Planetary News: Space Policy (2008)
U.S Presidential Candidates Release Space Policies
August 18, 2008
Last week, the campaigns of both U.S. presidential candidates released documents detailing their policies for the U.S. space program. For our readers’ convenience, we present them here.
John McCain, Republican Candidate for President
For the past 50 years, space activities have contributed greatly to US scientific discovery, national security, economic development, and national innovation, pride and power (the ultimate example of which was the U.S. victory over the Soviets in the race to the moon). Spurred on by the Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik, the world's first satellite, and the concern that the U.S was falling behind in science and technology, U.S. policymakers enacted several policy actions to firmly establish the U.S. dominance in science and technology. Among them were the establishment of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the national Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), increased research funding, and a reformulation of the nation's science and technology education system.
Read the complete text of John McCain's statement on space policy>> |
Barack Obama, Democaratic Candidate for President
Over the past 50 years our civilian space program has embodied the adventurous spirit that lifted this nation to greatness and inspired people around the world. At the same time, America's leadership in space has provided the United States with a scientific and economic edge. Barack Obama believes the United States should maintain its international leadership in space while at the same time inspiring a new generation of Americans to dream beyond the horizon. Barack Obama believes that what President Kennedy said about space more than 45 years ago remains valid today: "The exploration of space will go ahead, whether we join in it or not, and it is one of the great adventures of all time, and no nation which expects to be the leader of other nations can expect to stay behind in the race for space. . . . We set sail on this new sea because there is new knowledge to be gained . . . and used for the progress of all people."
Read the complete text of Barack Obama's statement on space policy>> |
Join the discussion of the presidential candidates' positions in the "Members" section of our website! |
The Planetary Society has long served as the public’s voice in setting space policy, and we are vigorously preparing for the day the new Administration — whoever leads it — takes charge in Washington, D.C.
Our task is to prepare a Roadmap to Space, targeted at the presidential transition team, which will show how humanity should take its next steps outward into the solar system. Our work began at the “Examining the Vision: Balancing Science and Exploration” workshop held at Stanford University last February.
Help The Planetary Society set the tone for the next administration's space policy!
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To bring the public into the discussion, we are now holding a series of Town Hall meetings across the United States and gathering further input for creating the Roadmap. All Planetary Society members have been asked to contribute by taking a Space Priorities Survey. Each of these contributions will help create the final Roadmap to Space.
Our campaign has already been noticed by political leaders and has
helped influence these statements and other space policy planning.
You can make your views count by joining the discussion in the “For Members” section of our website. If you are not a Planetary Society member, you can either join today, or send an e-mail to comments@planetary.org.
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