Obama’s Plan: Colorado Politicians Happy, Utah and Alabama Officials Not

Press reports indicate that there are mixed reactions in key states about the administration’s revised plan for NASA. Things are looking up in Colorado:

Colorado senators and congressmen welcomed President Barack Obama’s decision to save a version of the Orion space capsule being developed in Colorado. “The president’s announcement is terrific news for Colorado, for all the workers on Orion,” said Democratic Sen. Mark Udall.

Udall spoke to reporters by phone along with Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Ed Perlmutter, both Democrats, and Rep. Mike Coffman, a Republican.

Lockheed Martin – whose headquarters is in the Denver area – is the prime contractor for the Orion program. The modified Orion capsule will serve as a crew return vehicle. Lockheed Martin could compete to upgrade it to a full crew transport under NASA’s proposed Commercial Crew Development program.

Meanwhile, the view from Utah – where ATK might have to lay off 2,000 workers due to the cancellation of the Ares rockets – was decided downbeat:

[Obama’s] address to an audience of NASA employees did nothing to mollify Utah’s federal delegation, which unanimously opposes his plan to cancel the Constellation program, in part because it would hurt a northern Utah company that develops rocket motors.

“I would say the administration’s plan is laughable, but I can’t find much humor in it when the consequences to space exploration and American workers during tough economic times are so dire,” said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah….

“The president’s proposal is not about privatization. It is about taking contracts given to the private-sector companies that are successful and giving those same contracts to private sector companies that continue to fall short of projections,” said Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah. He represents the area that includes ATK.

“Washington is again picking winners and losers, but not based on records of success.”

Meanwhile, Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby continues to blast the Obama Administration’s space plans. Shelby’s state includes NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, which has the lead role in building the Ares rockets. The senator issued a statement today:

“As a result of the alternative offered by the President today, there is now no hope for a bright future in human space exploration. The President’s new plan continues the destruction of forty years of U.S. space supremacy by pinning our hopes for success on unproven commercial companies.

The President redirects funding for a tested and successful space exploration program, Constellation, to let so-called private industry develop with taxpayer money a launch vehicle for humans. One of these commercial companies highlighted by the President already has an agreement with NASA, is currently two years behind schedule, and is requesting 60 percent more money to do the job they have already been paid to do. Yet these companies represent the quicksand foundation upon which President Obama has placed his faith to deliver humans safely to space.

We need to move forward with a real plan that is based on defined requirements, proven technologies, and achievable goals.  The President’s new alternative fails to meet any of these.  The Administration has shown once again that it is no longer committed to robust space exploration by terminating Constellation, the one program that is actually capable of making it happen.”

And so the battle continues…