Community | July 27, 2008 | 3 comments

NASA legend Buzz Aldrin voices concerns about moon rocket

source: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/space/orl-buzz2508jul25,0,2428200.story?track=rss

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CAPE CANAVERAL - Just four years after President Bush announced his vision to send astronauts back to the moon and then on to Mars, legendary astronaut Buzz Aldrin is leading an effort to re-examine the whole idea -- in particular, NASA's choice of rockets for the mission.

It is the latest sign that NASA's Constellation program -- intended to replace the space shuttle after 2010 -- is in trouble.

Concerned by reports that the Ares rockets and Orion crew capsule are beset by cost overruns, schedule delays and complex technical woes, Aldrin says he wants to create a panel of experts to make sure that Constellation is the right way to go.

"We need to stick with the mission but rethink some of the ways we implement it," said Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon. "It doesn't pay to stick with a bad idea."

Aldrin has won some backers, including a prominent Washington think tank and the backers of an alternate rocket design created by moonlighting NASA employees.

But the space agency insists there's no need for more study -- as do its allies on Capitol Hill.
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    Community,   News and Politics,   Space
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    News,  News and Politics,  Space,  Moon,  1 more
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3 comments // NASA legend Buzz Aldrin voices concerns about moon rocket

  • tmaster
    • 0
      tmaster  

    • You can say alot of things for or against space travel, or even the spending of our hard earned tax money, but to be honest there's not much you or I or most people can do at this stage or juncture of our existense. Roosevelt created this beast called taxes and only GOD up above will be able to end the scurge we call taxes.....but I digress.....the conspiracy theorist in me may suggest something alittle more simplistic in nature and even simplicity......what if, NASA in all its omnipotent power just decided to use Mars as the bases for the rational explaination of going there to just make good of placing items on the moon that is suppose to be left there from previous visit just to queue any naysers that the original moon landing is nothing short of a hoax? For myself, I dont know....I listen but I'm not always lead to believe everything I hear or see......I should know...I was in the military with Special Operations and believe me....well lets just say I filter any information my awareness is subjected to......we all should.

    • 3 years ago
  • ivxx
    • 0
      ivxx  

    • I've always thought it was stupid to retire the shuttle after 29 years and cutting Space Station missions that have already consumed the majority of the funding that they will but that's the bush administration for you.

    • 3 years ago
  • SonofLiberty1
    • 0
      SonofLiberty1  

    • At the height of the Apollo program, we were only spending 4% of the national budget.

      Today, we spend a grand total of 15 cents per person, per day for the Constellation Program.

    • 3 years ago
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