OMB Deputy Director Johnson Thinks NASA's Mission Statements are "Baloney"

OMB Deputy Director Johnson Thinks NASA's Mission Statements are "Baloney"

Keith Cowing
Monday, December 18, 2006

Editor's note: Based on some comments made recently by OMB Deputy Director Clay Johnson, there is not a lot of enthusiasm for what NASA is doing - especially the Vision for Space Exploration - at OMB.

Go to Government Executive's TV page - specifically, the Leadership series. Go to "A Look at 2007 Agenda" (12/06/06) - and then head for the 'discussion' portion of the event (link is in the media player box).

Johnson comments on NASA: "Is anyone from NASA here?" {pause - and laughter} - no answer. "Perfect. Can I edit the tape of this thing before ... I take exception with ... personally, I am a reform movement of one ... with a lot of NASA's mission statements - they want to be 'number one' - and they want to explore the heavens ... and they wanna ... what kind of a goal statement is that? How can you be held accountable for that? NASA officials - and the President - my good friend as you say - talk about where 'we are destined to explore the stars' and 'we are hard wired to explore over the horizon' and that we are 'just a people that just likes to explore' - {frown on his face} That's baloney!"

After trashing the initial premise for the VSE (as announced by the President in 2004), Johnson then goes on to talk about how investment bankers bankrolled Columbus, Magellan, and Lewis & Clark - and that it was 'real estate' that was behind all of that exploration. He then proposed that future expeditions be partially funded by the private sector.

There is lots of interesting - and confusing - thoughts to be found within Johnson's comments. I am certain, in retrospect, that Johnson wishes that he had indeed been able to edit the tape.

Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Mercury - Venus - The Moon - Mars - Jupiter - Saturn - Pluto

RADWIN empowers service providers so they can deliver high speed Wireless broadband Access services.

Find hose reels and watering systems

Quality leather chairs in a variety of styles.

News from Commercial Space Watch

- Recovery Act: Water Management in California: Cyber Infrastructure for Irrigation Optimization

- Former Shuttle Astronaut-Astronomer, Sam Durrance, Joins the CSF Suborbital Researchers Group

- Satellite-Based Earth Observation Market Entering Phase of Impressive Growth

- NASA and Lighting Science Sign Agreement to Develop Lighting for Space Exploration

- Sky No Longer the Limit for Digital Magazines

- NASA Develops Algae Bioreactor as a Sustainable Energy Source

- Aerojet Engines Support Space Shuttle Atlantis' Re-stocking Mission to International Space Station

- Suborbital Applications Researchers Group Meets in Washington

- NewSpace Is Under Attack

- Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Successfully Tests Thruster for Unmanned Lunar Lander

- bacus Technology Corporation Awarded NASA Kennedy Space Center Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year - 2009

- NASA ARC Memo; Procurement Sensitivity of the Competition of Aeronautics and Exploration Mission Modeling and Simulation Request for Proposal NNA09274979R

- Lockheed Martin Tests Carbon Nanotube-Based Memory Devices on NASA Shuttle Mission

- Leonid Meteor Shower to Perform Late Tonight

- Sri Lanka signs agreement with SSTL for space capability

- Decorate your home with nautical decor

- Dieses Portal stellt Ihnen die besten online Casino Bonus und Pokerr�ume im Internet vor.

- Play free bingo games and black out bingo.

- 220Marketing specializes in providing mortgage marketing for mortgage companies and managers.

- Take your time to tour our site and check out all the fun games we operate. In addition to the 20 online bingo rooms we operate, we also have online keno.

- TV Stands