Obama Speaks on NASA's Future April 15

Updated with Obama's speech:

Obama will speak from Cape Canaveral at 2:50 pm eastern. This is a live stream. I will post video after his speech. NASA is holding a conference after Obama's speech. Watch that here. Read a fact sheet outlining the plan for NASA here.

Obama Speaks on Mine Safety and NASA April 15

Obama will speak on mine safety at 10:50 am eastern before leaving for Cape Canaveral to talk about NASA's future at 2:50 pm eastern.

Prior to his NASA speech, Obama will tour a rocket processing plant. Both speeches will be live streamed at WhiteHouse.gov.
Afterward, he'll head to Miami for a fundraiser. He'll speak at the fundraiser in Miami at 7:10 pm eastern.
Here is a fact sheet on Obama's new plan for NASA.

Buzz Aldrin Supports Obama's NASA Plan

When it comes to NASA, it's politics, politics, politics. Companies such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin are afraid of losing their government contracts, states are afraid of losing workers, politicians are afraid of not getting re-elected if they don't fight for space projects. No one thinks about what's good for the nation. What should the space program be accomplishing?
Then there's the politics of Obama's people coming in and changing the old ways of doing business, which causes flack. Some astronauts say Obama's plan is bad. Buzz Aldrin says it's good. For nearly two years, ever since Obama took office and Lori Garver took over the space transition program, NASA people have been complaining. Somewhere, there is a truth. Obama will be talking about NASA's future tomorrow at 2:50 pm eastern. Here is a fact sheet of Obama's NASA plan. Aldrin's statement via Politico:

“As an Apollo astronaut, I know full well the importance of always exploring new frontiers and tackling new challenges as we explore space. The simple truth is that we have already been to the Moon – some 40 years ago. What this nation needs in order to maintain its position as the 21st century leader in space exploration is a near-term focus on lowering the cost of access to space and on developing key, cutting-edge technologies that will take us further and faster – while expanding our opportunities for exploration along the way. The President’s program will help us be in this endeavor for the long haul and will allow us to again push our boundaries to achieve new and challenging things beyond Earth. I believe that this is the right program at the right time, and I hope that NASA and our dedicated space community will embrace this new direction as much as I do. By so doing we can together continue to use space exploration to help drive prosperity and innovation right here on Earth.

“I also believe the steps we will be taking in following the President’s direction will best position NASA and other space agencies to ultimately send humans to Mars and other exciting destinations as quickly as possible. To do that, we will need to support many types of transformative technologies that NASA and its partners will be developing in order to reduce the costs, expand the capabilities, and increase the options for exploration. The quick decision promised on a heavy lift architecture – one that can leverage the knowledge gained through our propulsion and flagship R&D efforts – is a key part of this new plan and one that will help us achieve these ambitions in an expeditious yet still careful way. I also believe that the decision to pursue a crew escape capsule for the Space Station (in a way that takes advantage of work already performed on Orion) is a laudable step that will both make prudent use of our hard-earned expertise and provide a U.S. capability for meeting this important safety requirement.

“Finally, I continue to be excited about the development of commercial capabilities to send humans into low earth orbit and what this could ultimately mean in terms of allowing others to experience the transformative power of spaceflight. I can personally attest to what such an experience can do in creating a different perspective regarding our life on Earth and on our future. I applaud the President for his boldness and commitment in working to make this worthwhile dream a reality.

“Buzz Aldrin
April 14, 2010”

Obama to Speak on Way Forward for NASA April 15

Obama will be speaking at a conference tomorrow:

Under pressure from Congress and space boosters from across the country, President Barack Obama is expected to announce Thursday that he plans to revive part of the Constellation moon program, start a new heavy-rocket development project and create a $40 million initiative to help Kennedy Space Center workers find jobs after the space shuttle is retired later this year.

Though details of that effort remain vague, a senior administration official said a task force comprised of advisers from the defense, commerce and labor departments, NASA and the White House would come up with a plan for "regional economic growth" and worker retraining by Aug. 15.

The aim is to "help the Space Coast transform its economy and prepare its workforce for opportunities for tomorrow," said a senior administration official, who was authorized to speak only on background Tuesday. More at the Orlando Sentinel

Obama to Host Conference on NASA's Future April 15

Obama on astronomy night at the White House

President Barack Obama plans to host a conference in Florida next month on his administration's approach to the next step in space exploration.

The White House says Obama and top officials as well as leaders in space will discuss the future of U.S. efforts in human space flight. Details of the conference, scheduled for April 15, are to be announced later.

America's space program is in a holding pattern of sorts. Its space shuttle fleet is being retired this year, and the administration is dropping plans for a return to the moon. MSNBC

NASA's Bolden Speaks on Manned Space Missions

Yesterday, NASA administrator Charles Bolden met with Hillary Clinton. They discussed international cooperation on space programs. From the State department twitter:

Sec. Clinton and NASA Administrator Bolden exchanged ideas on how the State Depart. and NASA can use space to advance foreign policy goals.

Obama's plan for NASA is expected in February. Bolden also spoke at an astronomy conference in Washington:

Bolden said NASA is still working closely with the White House to determine the future of the space program.

"I don't know what the president's decision is going to be," Bolden said. "However, having been around him and talked to him and having watched him when he's interfaced with astronauts, kids and everybody else, I cannot see this president being the president who presided over the end of human space exploration."

President Obama is weighing several options presented by a panel of experts in October on the next step in NASA's troubled Constellation moon program. The White House chartered the Augustine committee after delays in the program pushed the first launch of the new Ares 1 rocket to at least 2015, and potentially until 2017.

The program's ultimate destination and architecture are both subject to change under Obama's pending decision.

"What I know, however, is that science is important to our president, important to NASA, and crucial to whatever way forward we are to follow," Bolden said. Spaceflight Now

Bolden Could Replace Griffin at NASA

Some background, NASA's top dog Mike Griffin hasn't been getting along with Obama's space transition team, which led Griffin's wife to petition for him to keep his job.
At NASA, Obama is interested in things like cutting waste and rocket collaboration between the Defense Department and NASA.

Today, Florida Today reports that Griffin isn't expecting to keep his job. 

NASA Administrator Mike Griffin is planning to leave office on Jan. 20, and a short list of potential replacements is starting to emerge as the incoming Obama administration moves toward Inauguration Day.

Now there are reports that Charles Bolden, a former astronaut, may take the spot. He would be the first black NASA administrator.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Former astronaut Charles F. Bolden Jr. is emerging as a lead candidate to head NASA in the Obama administration. If selected for the post, the 62-year-old would be the first African-American appointed to serve as NASA administrator.

Here's Bolden's bio:

NAME: Charles F. Bolden, Jr. (Brig. General, USMC)
NASA Astronaut (former)

PERSONAL DATA: Born August 19, 1946, in Columbia, South Carolina. Married to the former Alexis (Jackie) Walker of Columbia, South Carolina. They have two children. He enjoys racquetball, running and soccer His mother, Mrs. Ethel M. Bolden, resides in Columbia.

EDUCATION: Graduated from C. A. Johnson High School in Columbia, South Carolina, in 1964; received a bachelor of science degree in electrical science from the United States Naval Academy in 1968, and a master of science in systems management from the University of Southern California in 1977.

ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the Montford Point Marine Association, the United States Naval Institute, and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Lifetime member of the Naval Academy Alumni Association, the University of Southern California General Alumni Association.

SPECIAL HONORS: Recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Strike/Flight Medal (8th award), Honorary Doctor of Science Degree from the University of South Carolina (1984), Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Winthrop College (1986), the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal (1992), NASA Exceptional Service Medals (1988, 1989, 1991), the University of Southern California Alumni Award of Merit (1989), and an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Johnson C. Smith University (1990).

EXPERIENCE: Bolden accepted a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps following graduation from the United States Naval Academy in 1968. He underwent flight training at Pensacola, Florida, Meridian, Mississippi, and Kingsville, Texas, before being designated a naval aviator in May 1970. He flew more than 100 sorties into North and South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, in the A-6A Intruder while assigned to VMA(AW)-533 at Nam Phong, Thailand, June 1972 to June 1973. Upon returning to the United States, Bolden began a two-year tour as a Marine Corps selection officer and recruiting officer in Los Angeles, California, followed by three years in various assignments at the Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California. In June 1979, he graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River, Maryland, and was assigned to the Naval Air Test Center's Systems Engineering and Strike Aircraft Test Directorates. While there, he served as an ordnance test pilot and flew numerous test projects in the A-6E, EA-6B, and A-7C/E airplanes.

He has logged more than 6,000 hours flying time.

NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in May 1980, Bolden became an astronaut in August 1981. His technical assignments included: Astronaut Office Safety Officer; Technical Assistant to the Director of Flight Crew Operations; Special Assistant to the Director of the Johnson Space Center; Astronaut Office Liaison to the Safety, Reliability and Quality Assurance Directorates of the Marshall Space Flight Center and the Kennedy Space Center; Chief of the Safety Division at JSC; Lead Astronaut for Vehicle Test and Checkout at the Kennedy Space Center; and Assistant Deputy Administrator, NASA Headquarters. A veteran of four space flights, he has logged over 680 hours in space. Bolden served as pilot on STS-61C (January 12-18, 1986) and STS-31 (April 24-29, 1990), and was the mission commander on STS-45 (March 24-April 2, 1992), and STS-60 (Feb. 3-11, 1994).

Bolden left NASA and returned to active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps as the Deputy Commandant of Midshipmen at the Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, effective June 27, 1994.

Brig. General Bolden is the Assistant Wing Commander, HQ 3rd MAW Miramar, San Diego, California.