It’s one big stomp on Houston. The investigation is over. Houston in the Republican state of Texas doesn’t get one of the shuttles. The four retired shuttles go to CA, NY, FL and D.C. stand. Selections were based on how many people would be able to see the spacecrafts. Association with the shuttle program was not a consideration. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said the Houston Space Center had relatively low attendance rates and provided significantly lower international access than the locations selected.
NASA’s inspector general specifically states:
TexMessage: NASA okays process used to award retired space shuttles
We found no evidence that the (decision review) team’s recommendation or the administrator’s decision were tainted by political influence or any other improper consideration,” NASA’s inspector general said.
The report added:”We found no attempt by White House officials to direct or influence Bolden’s decision making.”
Anybody really believe that?
The decision isn’t sitting very well with Texas Rep. Pete Olson. His congressional district includes the Johnson Space Center.
“It is patently evident from this IG report that Administrator Bolden sought and implemented a plan that would deliberately exclude ties to the shuttle program and therefore remove Houston from the equation,” the second-term lawmaker said. “The report repeatedly references Bolden’s preference to strip any ties to the shuttle program or NASA from the decision making process, instead focusing on access to international visitors over Americans whose tax dollars paid for every single shuttle.”
Tough luck Houston but let us pause to wonder how is it the Manned Spacecraft Center wound up in Lyndon Johnson’s state in the first place? Hmmmmmm.
From Pres. Kennedy’s speech at Rice University, Sept., 1962:
What was once the furthest outpost on the old frontier of the West will be the furthest outpost on the new frontier of science and space. Houston, … with its Manned Spacecraft Center, will become the heart of a large scientific and engineering community. During the next 5 years the National Aeronautics and Space Administration expects to double the number of scientists and engineers in this area, to increase its outlays for salaries and expenses to $60 million a year; to invest some $200 million in plant and laboratory facilities; and to direct or contract for new space efforts over $1 billion from this Center in this City.
Politics giveth and politics taketh away.
One would think the addition of one of the space shuttles would increase the attendance to the Huston Space Center.
This story(posted on the Tamwire) goes back to April 15th when Senator “Chuck” Schumer(P-NY)(The “P” is for Putz) made these remarks:
“When people from Paris, Beijing, Tokyo and Amsterdam start saying they want to go to Houston, maybe then they’ll get a shuttle,” Schumer told the Daily News. “I’d say to Texas, don’t mess with New York.”
(Insert Insult Here)
posted 8/26 935am Texans for Palin Time.
Schumer (P-Schumer) should remember that it’s ultimately better for Texas to have NY businesses move here than to obtain a single shuttle for a museum. Thousands of employed Texans beats the four or five jobs created or saved at the Intrepid Museum in NYC.