On June 1, acting NASA Administrator Chris Scolese signed an administrative order creating a committee to review NASA’s human space exploration plans and the rocket architecture supporting those plans. Former Lockheed Martin CEO Norm Augustine was named chairman of this committee, which has subsequently become known as the Augustine Commission.

The Augustine Commission is planning to meet in Huntsville on July 29 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the U.S Space & Rocket Center’s Davidson Saturn V facility. The program will include an opportunity for public comment from that morning beginning at 10:30.

The Committee is chartered to conduct an independent review of ongoing U.S. human space flight plans and programs, as well as alternatives and to ensure the Nation is pursuing the best approach for the future of human space flight – one that is safe, innovative, affordable and sustainable.

The Committee’s guidance is to develop a range of exploration options for continuation of U.S. human space flight activities beyond retirement of the Space Shuttle to meet the following objectives:

a) expediting a new U.S. capability to support utilization of the International Space Station (ISS);
b) supporting missions to the Moon and other destinations beyond low-Earth orbit (LEO);
c) stimulating commercial space flight capability; and
d) fitting within the current budget profile for NASA exploration activities.

In addition to the objectives described above, the review is expected to examine the appropriate amount of research and development and complementary robotic activities needed to make human space flight activities most productive and affordable over the long term, as well as appropriate opportunities for international collaboration. It should also evaluate what capabilities would be enabled by each of the potential architectures considered. It should evaluate options for extending ISS operations beyond 2016.

The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County supports the existing Ares I and Ares V architecture as a reasonable approach to meet our nation’s space faring needs and to maintain U.S. leadership in the global competition for space pre-eminence. The combined capabilities of Ares I and Ares V will enable human transport beyond low earth orbit, will enable missions to the moon and eventually Mars, and a host of new science missions.

A substantial portion of MSFC’s workforce is already supporting the Ares program. Eventually the Ares I and Ares V will employ thousands of civil service and industry employees in North Alabama.