Augustine Panel Members to be Announced Soon

Aerospace Daily reports that the members of the Augustine panel to assess options for NASA’s human space flight program will be named imminently. According to the report, Mr. Augustine wants members who are open-minded.

While the charter to the group from the White House Office of Science and Technology is fairly clear, not all members of the space community agree on what limits, if any, should bound the panel. Differences were aired at the May 13 meeting of the NRC’s Space Studies Board and Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board, and last week Senators Bill Nelson and David Vitter said the panel should not be constrained by current budget assumptions.