WASHINGTON In what was likely to be one of his last public appearances as NASA's chief administrator, Daniel Goldin addressed the International Space Symposium Tuesday raising a number of warning flags regarding future space transportation.

International Space Symposium Coverage

Space Leaders Look to Future Despite Uncertain Times: The global space community faces a myriad of challenges, made all the more complex by tight budgets, as well as shifting markets. Despite troubled times brought about by terrorism and conflict, there also is opportunity to orchestrate new cooperative and collaborative ties between spacefaring nations.

International Partnerships Advocated for Space Growth A closer bond has already been forged between the United States and Europe by the events of September 11. Making it even stronger through greater cooperation can help shape 21st century commercial and government space projects, representatives of both sides said.

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Goldin warned both NASA and aerospace contractors not to raid monies now earmarked for the Space Launch Initiative (SLI) a five year, nearly $5 billion effort to build next generation space transportation.

"I make a plea to my good friends in NASA Houston [Johnson Space Center] and NASA Marshall [Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama], the United Space Alliance, Lockheed and Boeing. Dont attack the Space Launch Initiative to feed your faces. Leave it alone. Its important to the country," Goldin said.

"Im not saying a new vehicle is guaranteed. All Im saying is without competition, the space shuttle is doomed with the reliability it has now. NASA, as the years move on, cant afford to spend 20 percent of its budget on the space shuttle. Something has to change," Goldin told the audience.

Goldin urged aerospace contractors to embrace competition and help continue the privatization of the space shuttle. He stressed that turning space shuttle operations completely over to the private sector needs to occur to free up NASA employees to work on cutting edge research and development.

"The Space shuttle is now a better machine because, for a large part, the private sector is operating it," Goldin said. "It's goodits healthyand everyone needs to relax. Privatization needs to continue," he said.

Goldin said there are those who want to block privatization, keeping a firm grip on the space shuttle.

"Right now a battle looms. Statements like youll be able to continue the privatization after you pry my cold dead fingers off the shuttle that argument isnt going to happen," Goldin said NASA needs to let go of the shuttle, he said.

"The industry should not be afraid of competition, because it is competition that focuses the mind and causes the right things to occur," Goldin said.

Concerning the International Space Station (ISS), the NASA chief said that NASA has problems in estimated the projects overall cost. "But in terms of performance, he saluted NASA and industry teams.

Goldin pointed to the fact that the ISS has come together like a jig saw puzzle, without having any serious problems. Now approaching its first anniversary in orbit, the ISS is performing flawlessly, he said.

Later this week, a special task force on ISS problems will brief Goldin. How to work the problem of an estimated at $5 billion in project cost growth will be a challenge, the NASA chief admitted.

"I only hope people working on ISS are not looking at the Space Launch Initiative as a way of acquiring $5 billion to solve problems. It wont solve problems. It will allow business as usual," Goldin warned.

"The only thing holding us back from a revolution in launch is everyone sitting down, getting a grip, and saying that competition is good," Goldin said. NASA and industry shouldnt be looking at how to pad the space shuttle to last 30 years and have a continuity of funding, he said.

Goldin has run the civilian space agency for some 10 years. He is stepping down from his post mid-November.

"This has been a labor of love. It has been an honor to serve this great country of ours. It has been an honor to work with our international partners."

"Im controversial yes. Im sharp-edged yes. But I also care about the future. I dont mind telling it as it is and as I see it. Im not politically correct and Im proud of it," Goldin concluded.