On indecisiveness

When it comes to space, we have dropped the ball.  We start off with a Saturn V that went to the moon.  Dropped that, even though it proved its worth during Apollo.  Started over with a brand new system--the Shuttle.  After 30 years, we've dropped that.  Now we are going with a Shuttle-derived system, even though it is still way too expensive.  Not before we dropped it first, though.  Supposedly, NASA is studying nuclear thermal rockets.  We had one over 40 years ago.  What's there to study?

At some point, you need to make decisions that will stick.  This backwards and forwards, stopping and starting ain't getting much done.  At some point, you've got to make a move, or get off the pot.  Studying on the throne is only going to leave you broken hearted.

Whatever NASA does has to fit into a presidential cycle.  Trouble is, these presidents don't seem to understand that a new president wants to put his own imprint on the space program.  So, what has Obama done to put his own imprint on the space program?

Nothing.  Come to think of it, that is one way of being decisive.  Don't do jack squat.  Punish the country for thinking it has some right to think of itself as exceptional.  Let's just run down the whole operation and declare defeat and give up, already.

Indecisiveness is not a good trait in a leader.  Nor in the leadership of a nation.  We had better make up our minds which way its going to be, because time is running out.

I don't know exactly what NASA should do.  But we ought to at least have the capability of putting men into orbit.  It's a national disgrace that we have to pay the Russians for a ride up there.

Update:

It seems that I've been talking out my ass again.  Looks like there will be a test of the Orion module on top of a Delta IV sometime in the next year.  Things are not quite as bad as they seem.

SLS may get dumped, though.  It is a big money hog, and funds are tight.  The above mentioned configuration can service the ISS, as well as other configurations that are also in the works.

If SLS gets canceled, they should probably strongly consider doing some sort of in orbit refueling in order to avoid having to use large boosters like the SLS.  This would be a better use of the money.

If NASA is truly considering a nuclear thermal engine, perhaps they could consider using this for a LOXLEO capability.