Augustine Committee Status Check

The clock is ticking down to the last days for the Augustine committee, which is tasked to develop options for the future of the human space flight program. Based on public reports, here is where things stand as of August 18, 2009.

• According to press reports, White House and NASA officials were briefed on the committee’s findings last Friday, August 14. In an interview with PBS’ Newshour that afternoon, Mr. Augustine said they had presented the White House with a dilemma — $4 billion per year more is needed to have any successful human space flight program.
• The committee indicated at its August 12 meeting that it is holding August 24 as a contingency date for another public meeting.
• The report officially is due to the White House and NASA on September 1.
• According to NASA’s Legislative Affairs website, the House Science and Technology Committee has scheduled a hearing for September 15 and the Senate Commerce Committee will hold a hearing the next day.

(Read our editorial as to why 90 days is too short for any group, no matter how talented, to determine the future of the human space flight program.)