The end of the Cold War offers new opportunities
and new challenges for our civilian space program.
In recent years the program has lacked vision and
leadership. Because the Reagan and Bush
administrations have failed to establish priorities
and to match program needs with available
resources, the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) has been saddled with more
missions than it can successfully accomplish.
Bill Clinton and Al Gore support a strong U.S.
civilian space program -- for its scientific value,
its economic and environmental benefits, its role
in building new partnerships with other countries,
and its inspiration of our nations youth. A
Clinton/Gore Administration space program will seek
to meet the needs of the United States and other
nations while moving toward our long-term space
objectives, including human exploration of the
solar system. A Clinton/Gore space program will
also promote the development of new technologies,
create new jobs for our highly-skilled former
defense workers, and increase our understanding of
the planet and its delicate environmental balance.
Move beyond the Cold War
* Restore the historical funding equilibrium
between NASA and the Defense Departments space
program. The Reagan and Bush Administrations
spent more on defense space initiatives than
on civilian space projects.
* Achieve greater cooperation in space with our
traditional allies in Europe and Japan, as
well as with Russia. Greater U.S.-Russian
cooperation in space will benefit both
countries, combining the vast knowledge and
resources both countries have gathered since
the launch of Sputnik in 1957.
Improve the American economy through space
* Direct NASA to give high priority to continued
improvement of the American civil aircraft
industry, which faces increasing international
competition. NASA research can play an
important role in developing less polluting,
more fuel efficient, and quieter aircraft.
* Work to improve our space industries
competitiveness. Well direct NASA to develop
cutting-edge rocket and satellite
technologies. We will also develop a new,
cost effective, and reliable launch system to
maximize scientific and commercial payloads.
Link NASA and the environment
* Support NASA efforts -- like Mission to Planet
Earth -- to improve our understanding of the
global environment.
* Call on NASA to develop smaller, more focused
missions which address pressing environmental
concerns.
Strengthen NASA and education
* Direct NASA to expand educational programs
that improve American performance in math and
science. Space education can help maintain our
technological edge and improve our
competitiveness.
* Direct NASA to expand the outreach of its
educational efforts beyond its five field
centers, so that millions more people can
learn about space.
* Maintain the Space Shuttles integral role in
our civilian space program. The Shuttle is
extremely complex and will always be expensive
and difficult to operate. But we must take
full advantage of its unique capabilities.
* Support completion of Space Station Freedom,
basing its development on the twin principles
of greater cooperation and burden sharing with
our allies. By organizing effectively on this
project, we can pave the way for future joint
international ventures, both in space and on
Earth.
Encourage planetary exploration through the best
space science
* Stress efforts to learn about other planets.
These improve our understanding of our own
world and stimulate advances in computers,
sensors, image processing and communications.
* Fully utilize robotic missions to learn more
about the universe.
* Although we cannot yet commit major resources
to human planetary exploration, this dream
should be among the considerations that guide
our science and engineering. Because the
entire world will share the benefits of human
planetary explorations, the costs for any such
projects should be borne by other nations as
well as the United States.
The Record
* Senator Al Gore chairs the Senate Subcommittee
on Science, Technology, and Space, which has
primary responsibility for NASA and plays a
key role in efforts to strengthen and
revitalize America's space program.
* Strongly favors a balanced manned and unmanned
space program. Supports completion of Space
Station Freedom and enhancements to the fleet
of Space Shuttles to ensure safety and
reliability.
* Has championed Mission to Planet Earth, an
initiative designed to gather comprehensive
information on the Earth's changing
environment. He strongly supports efforts to
channel information on the Earth's environment
to teachers and school children.
* Strongly supports efforts to strengthen our
leadership in aviation.
* Has tried to use space exploration as a bridge
to international cooperation, not competition.
Pushed the administration to investigate the
possibilities for integrating surviving
elements of the Soviet space program into the
U.S. program in ways beneficial to America and
its aerospace workers.
* Following the Challenger disaster, Senator
Gore uncovered quality assurance deficiencies
at NASA, gaining a greater commitment to
quality assurance and accountability at NASA.
