Astronauts, Researchers, Educators and Industry Leaders Show Support for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program in Letter to Congress

March 9 2012, Washington D.C: Former Astronauts, researchers, educators and industry leaders have expressed support for the Commercial Crew Program in a response to a letter written by several Members of Congress to White House Science Advisor John Holdren last week. Earlier this week, the Commercial Spaceflight Federation mistakenly released an early draft of a letter on this issue, without the approval of the signatories. We apologize for that error.

Read the full text of the letter:

3/9/12

Congressman Pete Olson
312 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Congressman Olson,

In a letter to Dr. John Holdren, you recently expressed your concern for the safety of NASA astronauts flying on commercially procured flights to NASA’s International Space Station.

We, the undersigned astronauts and leaders in human spaceflight, share your focus on spaceflight safety. We firmly believe that NASA has created a Commercial Crew Program that will be both safe and reliable, and that its choice of Space Act Agreements or another contracting mechanism has no effect on the ultimate safety of the vehicles.

We also know that the Commercial Crew Program, in significant measure due to its use of innovative, cooperative Space Act Agreements, will end our dependence on the Russian Soyuz to reach the International Space Station. It will also save the dollars that will enable NASA to invest in spaceflight efforts to explore beyond Earth orbit–a vital objective for the country.

Sincerely,

The undersigned, listed alphabetically,

Mr. Art Dula
Founder and CEO, Excalibur Almaz Limited

Mr. Edward Ellegood
Former Director, Spaceport Florida Authority
Director of Aerospace Development, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Mr. Gerald D. Griffin
Former Director, NASA Johnson Space Center
Former Deputy Director, NASA Kennedy Space Center
Former Deputy Director, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center

Dr. Leroy P. Gross, MD, MPH
CEO, Innovative Health Applications, LLC

Dr. Robert Farquhar
Executive for Space Exploration, KinetX Corp.

Dr. Louis Friedman
Founder and Executive Director Emeritus, The Planetary Society

Dr. Jeffrey A. Hoffman
Former NASA Astronaut
Professor of the Practice of Aerospace Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mr. Michael Joyce
President & Founder, Next Giant Leap Google LLC Lunar X Prize Team

Mr. Dale Ketcham
Director, University of Central Florida The Spaceport Research & Technology Institute

Dr. John M. Logsdon
Professor Emeritus of Political Science and International Affairs, Space Policy Institute

Mr. Taber MacCallum
CEO, Paragon Space Development Corporation

Mr. William F. Mitchell
President and Chairman, Environmental Tectonics Corporation
Board of Directors, NASTAR Foundation

Mr. Elon Musk
CEO and CTO, Space Exploration Technologies

Mr. Joseph E. Palaia, IV
Manager, NewSpace Center, LLC
Vice President, 4Frontiers Corporation

Mr. Bob Richards
CEO, Moon Express Inc. Google Lunar X Prize Team

Dr. Russell L. “Rusty” Schweickart
Former NASA Astronaut

Col. Richard Searfoss
Former NASA Astronaut/Shuttle Commander
Chief Test Pilot, XCOR

Dr. S. Alan Stern
Former NASA Associate Administrator for Science
Aerospace Consultant

Dr. Lee S. Valentine
Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Space Studies Institute

Mr. Robert Walker
Former Chair, House Science Committee
Chairman, Wexler and Walker, Public Policy Associates

Mr. Robert W. Werb
Chairman of the Board, Space Frontier Foundation

Cc
Congressman Steven Palazzo
Congressman Lamar Smith
Congressman Randy Hultgren
Congressman Steven LaTourette
Congressman Mo Brooks
Congressman Ted Poe
Dr. John P. Holdren