So said former Congressman Robert Walker as he outlined the goals of the Commission on the Future of the United States Aerospace Industry today at the International Space Symposium, being held here October 29-31.
Walker, who heads the Commission, said the 12-person study group has begun its task of looking at the health of the U.S. aerospace industry. The assessment will run for a year, with interim reports to be issued prior to the Commissions final report, he said. The Commission is tapping industry experts, as well as some 40 federal agencies, in an effort to paint the broadest picture.
Creating a roadmap
The Commission has a wide range of objectives, Walker said, but is focused on creating a futuristic roadmap for the aerospace industry and how best to maintain its competitive edge in worldwide markets.
Among its duties, the Commission has been established to study the government budget process; acquisition process; government contracts and regulations; as well as tax laws all conditions that impact the health and wellbeing of the aerospace industry.
A major look is also slated on the future of the nations space launch infrastructure, Walker said. Commission member and former Apollo 11 astronaut, Buzz Aldrin, is leading a subgroup to grapple with this topic, he said.
Walker said the Commission is gearing up to assure that the aerospace industry is healthy 20 to 30 years from now. A strong aerospace industry means retaining its ability to defend the country and would allow the public to "move around with the freedom that Americans have come to expect," he said.
An aging work force and the state of those that provide engineering support "is of vital concern," to the Commission, Walker said.
While todays aerospace industry is providing better and more effective hardware than in the past, Walker said that "we havent moved off the dime very much since the 1960s."
"If we are going to be a factor in global markets, its because we innovate and change the paradigm," Walker said.
NASA: back to its roots
Questioned about the Bush Administrations seemingly lack of interest in space, Walker said that belief was not a fair characterization.
Walker emphasized that military space has taken lead priority in the Bush White House.
There is no doubt that the President is firmly convinced of a space-based defense initiative, Walker said. "Hes stood down a good part of the rest of the world in advancing that agenda," he said.
By building off investments that are being made in military defense, Walker said that improvements in commercial and civilian activities could be realized too.
Walker said the ability to protect satellite assets, a considerable space infrastructure, including launch infrastructure and other things, are required. Building that space infrastructure can benefit a lot of other programs, he said.
"Instruments that we want to fly for science purposes might be able to fly aboard military missions," the Commission chairman said. "if we simply plan together and use the same power sources and other things, we might well find ways to get a lot of things done that we otherwise would not have done in singular missions. We need to think differently."
NASA is being seen by the Bush Administration, Walker said, as needing to get back to its research and development roots. By the agency returning to that role, "they play a valuable role not only in advancing the commercial and civilian agendabut the military as well," he said.
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