Selling the Space Program: A Conversation with 'Don Draper

One of the talking points coming out of the Obama administration is
that the one thing wrong about the new space policy that cancelled the
Constellation space exploration program was that it wasn't sold
properly.

Lori Garver, NASA's Deputy Administrator and one of the architects of
the plan,
expressed that sentiment at a recent meeting of the American Institute
of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

The following is part fiction written for the purpose of conveying
ideas in the form of a dialogue, but I think encapsulates the problem
with space policy and selling a government space program in our time.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art....html?cat= 15

"Mark R. Whittington" wrote in message
...
One of the talking points coming out of the Obama administration is
that the one thing wrong about the new space policy that cancelled the
Constellation space exploration program was that it wasn't sold
properly

One could also say the reason people don't buy Garlic Flavored Ice Cream is
the fault of the marketing department.

Let's face it, NASA now has absolutle no direction except extending the
shuttle which was a flawed program from day 1 (Original promise $10Million
per mission, 2 week turn around, 50 launches per year) , keeping the ISS
going which produces nothing tangeable, and inviting some muslim kids from
third world nations to participate in NASA activities (Boldens highest and
only known priority).

The American people should now get excited about flying by a hunk of rock
and maybe wriring "Kilroy was Here", or visiting a mathematical point in
space - "Hey guys theres L1 - it's three feet in front of our spacecraft."
Reminds me of a cruise we took, three elderly women raced to the window
tripping all over other passengers to see the "Artic Circle" and were very
disappointed.

The American people weren't sufficiently inspired over time by a delivery
truck to orbit, or fixing toilets in space to fully embrace the shuttle or
the ISS - there was no adventure - no new high ground. A semi-permanent moon
base leading to landings on Mars - that's a different thing. And
Constellation may have gotten a bit wrapped around a larger lunar effort
than may have been necessary in the big scheme.

Just think of the expression "We can put a man on the moon" as expressing
we've done something very special. Did you ever hear someone say "We can fix
a toilet in orbit?" and mean anything other than we're wasting the tax
payers dollars.

The early elements of Constellation are going on in the sure belief that
Obama and his present NASA leaders are an unpleasant flash in the pan.

It's really going to take a lot more than a high school band and a few
gimmicky view graphs to sell what's going on now as useful expendature of
tax dollars.


Val Kraut

Mark R. Whittington wrote:
The following is part fiction written for the purpose of conveying
ideas in the form of a dialogue, but I think encapsulates the problem
with space policy and selling a government space program in our time.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art....html?cat= 15

I'm waiting for the Mad Men episode where Don Draper gets hired by NOW to
do a series of TV ads urging folks to write their legislators to promote the
passage of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Let's see at the current pace that'll be in Season 9.

:-D

Dave