Open Letter to Congress

8/9/2019 Open Letter to Congress

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Dear Members of Congress:

We, the undersigned space leaders, are strong supporters of humanspaceflight. We are writing to urge you to both (1) fully fund thecommercial crew to Space Station program proposed in thePresidents FY2011 budget request for NASA, and (2) accelerate thepace and funding of NASAs human space exploration projectsbeyond Earth orbit.

These twin pillars of human spaceflight are each crucial to the long-term health of our Nations space program. They are alsointerdependent.

And they will together generate thousands of high tech U.S. jobs forpeople in multiple states, including Florida, Alabama, Texas,California, Nevada, Virginia, Colorado, New Mexico, and Maryland.

Among us are over 50 space leadersformer NASA executives andadvisors, former astronauts, CEOs of firms large and small, a former

FAA Associate Administrator, space scientists, space journalists,and others. We are a diverse group, but we are only a handful of theNations citizens who support U.S. leadership in human space flightin general, and the development of commercial human spaceflightin particular.

We specifically wish to express our concern that the commercialcrew to Space Station program is sometimes seen as optional or too

risky to Americas future in space, but nothing could be furtherfrom the truth.

In fact, the commercial crew to Space Station program is afundamental enabler of NASAs human space exploration beyondEarth orbit, specifically because it will free up the NASA dollars


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Director, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, Universityof ColoradoBoulder, Colorado

Dr. Jim BellProfessor, Planetary Scientist, and Member of the Mars ExplorationRover team, Cornell UniversityIthaca, New York

Capt. Ken Bowersox, Ret.Former NASA Astronaut, and Vice President of Mission Assurance &Astronaut Safety, Space Exploration Technologies Corp.Hawthorne, California

Mr. Chad BrinkleyPresident, DCI Services and ConsultingHouston, Texas

Ms. Heather BulkPresident and CEO, Special Aerospace Services

Boulder, Colorado

Mr. John CarmackPresident and CEO, Armadillo AerospaceCaddo Mills, Texas

Dr. Peter DiamandisChairman and CEO, X-Prize Foundation

Playa Vista, California

Mr. Frank DiBelloPresident and CEO, Space FloridaKennedy Space Center, Florida


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Dr. Michael DrakeHead, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of ArizonaTucson, Arizona

Mr. Art DulaCEO, Excalibur AlmazHouston, Texas

Ms. Esther DysonPrincipal, EDyson VenturesNew York, New York

Mr. Edward EllegoodDirector of Aerospace Development, Embry-Riddle AeronauticalUniversityDaytona Beach, Florida

Dr. Robert FarquharSenior Mission Designer, KinetX Corp.Fairfax, Virginia

Mr. Jeff FeigeCEO, Orbital OutfittersLos Angeles, California

Mr. Jim ForemanPresident, Blue Smoke LLCHouston, Texas

Dr. Owen GarriottFormer NASA Astronaut, and Aerospace ConsultantHuntsville, Alabama

Mr. Richard Garriott


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Commercial AstronautAustin, Texas

Mr. Jeffrey GreasonCEO, XCOR AerospaceMojave, California

Dr. Jeffrey HoffmanFormer NASA Astronaut, and MIT professorCambridge, Massachusetts

Mr. Richard HomansExecutive Director, New Mexico SpaceportLas Cruces, New Mexico

Dr. Scott HubbardFormer Director of NASA Ames, and ProfessorSan Francisco, California

Mr. Michael Joyce

President, Next Giant Leap LLCBoulder, Colorado

Mr. Dale KetchamDirector, Spaceport Research & Technology InstituteMeritt Island, Florida

Mr. Jim Kennedy

Former Director, NASA Kennedy Space CenterCocoa Beach, Florida

Mr. Glenn KingChief Operating Officer, NASTAR; PennsylvaniaSouthampton, Pennsylvania


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Mr. Bill KhourieExecutive Director, Oklahoma Space IndustryDevelopment Authority, Oklahoma SpaceportBurns Flat, Oklahoma

Dr. Byron LichtenbergFormer NASA AstronautHouston, Texas

Mr. Todd LindnerDirector, Cecil Field Spaceport, Jacksonville Aviation AuthorityJacksonville, Florida

Dr. John LogsdonFounder, Space Policy Institute, George Washington University.Washington, D.C.

Lt. Col. J. Mike Lounge, Ret.Former Astronaut, and President, Cisneros Innovation Strategies

Houston, Texas

Dr. Stephen MackwellDirector, Lunar and Planetary InstituteHouston, Texas

Mr. David MastenCEO, Masten Space Systems Inc.

Mojave, California

Mr. Bill MitchellCEO, Environmental Tectonics CorporationSouthampton, Pennsylvania


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Mr. James A.M. MuncyCo-Founder, Space Frontier FoundationAlexandria, Virginia

Dr. John MuratoreFormer Space Shuttle Flight Director and University of TennesseeSpace InstituteTullahoma, Tennessee

Mr. Elon MuskCEO and CTO, Space Exploration Technologies Corp.Hawthorne, California

Mr. Miles OBrienAerospace Journalist, and Managing Editor of This Week in SpaceNew York, New York

Mr. Rich PhillipsPresident, Phillips & CompanyAustin, Texas

Mr. Joseph E. Palaia, IVManager, NewSpace Center, and Vice President, 4Frontiers Corp.New Port Richey, Florida

Mr. Brian RishikofCEO, Odyssey Space ResearchHouston, Texas

Dr. Rusty SchweickartFormer NASA Astronaut, and Aerospace ConsultantLos Angeles, California

Col. Richard Searfoss, Ret.


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Former NASA Astronaut, and Chief Test Pilot, XCOR AerospaceMojave, California

Mr. Frank Sietzen, Jr.Author, and Former Editor in Chief of Ad Astra Magazine of theNational Space SocietyArlington, Virginia

Mr. Mark SirangeloChairman, Sierra Nevada Corporation Space Systems, and Chairmanof the Board, Commercial Spaceflight FederationLousville, Colorado

Mr. Frederick A. SlaneExecutive Director, Space Infrastructure Foundation, Inc.Colorado Springs, Colorado

Ms. Linda Kenny SloanPresident, Information UniverseCarson, California

Ms. Patti Grace SmithFormer FAA Associate Administrator, and Aerospace ConsultantWashington, D.C.

Mr. John SpencerFounder and President, Space Tourism SocietyLos Angeles, California

Dr. Alan SternFormer NASA Associate Administrator for Science, and AerospaceConsultantNiwot, Colorado


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Dr. Frederick A. TarantinoPresident ad CEO, Universities Space Research AssociationColumbia, Maryland

Mr. Rick N. Tumlinson,Co-founder, Space Frontier FoundationToluca Lake, California

Col. Jim Voss, Ret.Former NASA Astronaut, and Director of Advanced Programs,Sierra Nevada Corporation Space SystemsLouisville, Colorado

Mr. Robert W. WerbCo-founder, Space Frontier FoundationNyack, New York

Mr. Stuart WittGeneral Manager, Mojave Air and Space PortMojave, California

Documents

Open Letter to Congress