I just got a press release from the Space Frontier Foundation. They seem as determined to be as much of a thorn in the Sean O’Keefe’s side as they were in Dan Goldin’s.

The following statement was released today by Space Frontier Foundation spokesman Rick Tumlinson on the subject of NASA?s request for a budget modification to develop a new Orbital Space Plane:

?The Space Frontier Foundation opposes funding for the new NASA Orbital Space Plane or any other development programs at the agency at this time. We will call on Congress to with hold any new funds for this venture until there is an investigation into the reasons for the failure of past much vaunted then cancelled programs and the resulting billions of taxpayer dollars that have been wasted.

?For over two decades the agency has put forward first one then another space vehicle program as the One Right Way to proceed, spent billions of dollars, and then cancelled or simply dropped the projects. The failure of these projects to deliver on the promises of the agency has kept the cost of entering space at an astronomical level, hamstringing all space activities including exploration programs, commercial enterprises and the operation of the International Space Station. Another major result of this erratic and inconsistent behavior has been to maintain uncertainty in the commercial space investment community, wreaking havoc on private sector initiatives that could lower costs through competition.?

I basically agree. I think that OSP is a waste of money, and simply helps maintain the status quo situation of not doing very much in space, while spending a lot of money on it.

Unfortunately though, it may be the only politically-viable option right now.