Comments about ‘Final frontier for ATK? Utah cities, jobs, hang in the balance of national space debate’

I recall a town meeting with Rob Bishop I attended a few years ago. I asked him about increasing funding for basic scientific research, noting that several important private research labs that used to be quite prominent had cut funding significantly for basic research, and were no longer the great institutions they used to be. After the meeting, a man approached me who said he was employed at ATK. He proceeded to lecture me on private industry and capitalism, and that it wasn't the government's place to provide funding for such things. Now that ATK is in danger of losing their federal funding, part of me wants to say to him, "That's Capitalism, baby!"

On the other hand, I have friends whose parents have lost their jobs at ATK. I have even more friends who have parents who work at ATK. I don't want them to lose their jobs. Whatever happens, I hope and wish the best for those who are facing difficult circumstances. It can't be very enjoyable to just sit and wait for the pink slip.

Republican leaders seem to think that private industry and capitalism are just fine for providing overpriced health care to american citizens. (Of course they have the government plan themselves). Why not space exploration and research?

But seriously don't blame Obama, this mess started way before he took office. Congress needs to put american citizens ahead of political posturing and party affiliations and QUIT fighting.

There is no other energy source that will take us into space other than rocket technology. Do White House Trekky’s imagine warp-speed technology will suddenly be discovered in the next few years? Do they imagine paper rockets are more reliable then real rockets? The White House wants to bet America’s space program on something that’s uncertain for something that’s real.

Space exploration is risky, the market is very limited, and with this change a company can now be sued. So then where is the motivation to do business and how is this cheaper? If the White House is not interested in Constellation technology then they should allow us to sell it to North Korea, Iran, or other foreign markets.

It’s great to have change so long as your feet are firmly planted. But let’s hope Congress and common sense grounds a delusional White House and not Constellation along with America’s space program.

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers. Many of these workers have sown the seeds of their own destruction by voting for Obama. Common sense tells you not to vote for a rank amateur who has never run a seven eleven. A good way to decide who is the first to go would be to go out into the parking lot and look at bumper stickers to see who voted for the most incompetent clueless fool to ever reside in the White House. Obama is so far out of his league as President it is beyond belief and yet these soon to be unemployed geniuses were out there shouting "yes we can" in the last election. Good job.

It doesn't make sense to axe the space program when it will do so little to fix America's financial situation. Mandatory spending (Social Security and Medicare) account for 54% of the federal budget and will do nothing but grow. Those are the programs that must be reined in. Obama's proposed cuts will account for less than 1% of the federal deficit.

Let me first say that I do feel for the man in this story who lost his job. I do, really feel for him.

However, the story, as written, is a bit misleading. The comment that many who were laid off voted for Obama but wouldn't now implies that President Obama is somehow to blame. That's not true. First, the Minuteman Propulsion Replacement program has been scheduled to be completed for more than a decade in 2009. The shuttle program was scheduled for completion for more than a decade this year--2010. Neither decision was made by President Obama. The cancellation of the moon program was made by the Obama administration but had more to do with budget realities caused by the poor economy than with a lack of desire to fund space exploration. The current economic downturn began in December 2007, during the Bush administration and continues to this day. Most experts agree that it takes several years for a President's economic policies to take full effect, President Obama, in office for only a year now, cannot realistically be blamed for the current economic downturn or the loss of jobs at ATK.

One would have hoped that a replacement would have been in position by the time the Shuttle stops flying. But, I guess we are back to the 70s - sitting on the sidelines while others fly. But it is even worse than that, since we don't even have an idea of what is going to fly in the future.

Sure, robotics can do a lot of stuff in space, but people have some capabilities up there, too.

It is Corinne, not Corrine. Please do a better job of knowing the small towns of Utah.

Obama let the NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver make this decision to terminate Constellation, and Ares 1 and Ares 5 rockets. Garver has told people that Constellation was "Bush's idea" and therefore, is evil and must be killed. THis is what happens when political appointees, who aren't really qualified to be in that position, are allowed to make policy decisions based on politics and grudges. Garver has no scientific or engineering background, but was a Senate staffer. Obama doesn't put space as a priority for funding. $3 billion a year is not even budget dust to the Trillions he's spending everywere else.. including $5 billion for corrupt ACORN group. THis decision is bad for the nation. We're no longer first in Space, and contributes to our nation's decline. This will negatively impact our nation's world standing and foreign policy as well. NASA could fund Constellation under existing budget, but again, it was started under Bush so is not the Hope and CHange the stupid Obama voters wanted.

The Obama plan is putting this country back decades as far as technological advances. They cancelled the F22 program which was a technological advanced fighter and decided to go with the F35 because it was supposed to be cheaper. Now they are having delays in producing the F35 and the price is going up. As a result they will have to continue to use older airplanes built decades ago. They did the same with the satellite programs. They cut them because they were too expensive.

What Obama has really done was to cut high tech jobs that will secure our future and replace them with remedial jobs. In the past we would produce expensive technology and then sell it to other countries for a lot of money.

I live in Box Elder county and have friends and neighbors who have received pink slips from ATK. It's disheartening to see Obama and the government spending trillions on everything else but space. Glad Bishop is fighting this. What about our two illustrious Senators? Can't they be doing something to help Bishop? What about the other Utah Congresspeople ? We need all of them right now to fight this even though it looks like an uphill battle. It's not just jobs, it's our country.

We want tax cuts. We want spending cuts. We want to destroy unions. And, we want it all in somebody elses' back yard.

One of the greatest, most uplifting and positive achievements that has ever struck a chord with the American people is the space program. Practically every American looks with pride on our achievements in space. Wars have demeaned mankind but space travel has been the motivator for aspirations that say man can rise above the petty things of Earth. From the original seven pioneer astronauts such as John Glenn in Mercury, to Neil Armstrong in Apollo and our Astronauts bouncing on the moon’s surface, we have basked in the glory of America’s space achievements. Our space program has been the inspiration for countless aspirations from educator, pilot, and daredevil, to parent and young person dreaming the dream that dreams are made of, and making them come true. Our follow-on Space Shuttle program made possible significant awesome scientific advancements including the on-orbit assembly of the International Space Station, maintenance of the Hubble telescope and numerous advancements in science, military and medical disciplines. To destroy it after our Presidents for the past 60 years have promoted it tells much about this administration and their desire to make us a 3rd world country.

Our space program is not an "optional" thing. We must recognize that NASA was cvreated for a specific purpose. It is not just "some program" that we can cut without serious consequenses. If anyone who reads this has any doubt about that fact, I ask you to open your history book, and READ!

Read about all of the ways the exploration of space has benefitted the world as a whole, And then consider all the children of future generations. Are we really going to tell our children that we stopped "Reaching for the stars" and lost our best people to other nations, Because it was too expensive?

Something simillar to that happened in germany before the wall was built.....

The space program(s) have inspired millions for decades. President Kennedy understood this and much more before we even left the ground.

Why does Mr. Obama Fail to see that?

If you care about America, Write your Senators and Congressmen. If these programs die, Part of america dies with them.

Many people seem to "throw up their hands" and say that America has already lost.

We HAVE NOT but WILL if we don't ACT NOW!

To CJ- Stupid people? Why is it that people (republicans) in this state insist on reducing the budget and deficit, but gosh almighty, don't you dare touch my little piece of the pie. That sir, is stupidity. Why don't you stick to the topic and not bash the president who had little to do with the changeover in the space program? This has been coming for years. In fact, Mr. Bush was president when these decisions were made. I have friends who work out there and they've known for a long time.

Our economy collapsed under Bush and we should have voted form Bush light and a egoistical liar from Alaska? What conservatives are doing is trying to not be held accountable for ruining America's economy making these chooses necessary.

Utah didn't support Obama. Utah passed a gun law trying to force a fight with the federal government. I hope this cut is the first of many cuts to contractors in Utah. I want Utahns to get the cut in federal spending they have been praying for.

Utahns tell us the federal government can't create jobs. Lets start cutting federal money to Utah. It's a win, win. We cut the budget and Obama has no political risk.

Right before Obama leaves the White House he can create a new national monument in Utah.

First the anti-Obama crowd calls him a Socialist because he believes the government can play a role in our great nation. Now he suggests the private sector has a role to play and you criticize him for limiting the government's role. Complaining that he is too Capitalist does not strengthen your claim that he is a Socialist.

Maybe ATK needs to partner with the other NASA contractors and build a for profit shuttle system to launch and service satellites for the communication giants and for the government. That would be capitalism at it's finest, the private sector doing things cheaper and more efficiently than the government. I thought that is what the anti-Obama crowd wanted this last year when they called him a Socialist.

Then of course maybe being Capitalist or Socialist is not the issue. Maybe some people just dislike the president and seek to criticize him no matter what he does?

"CJ" when you say "A good way to decide who is the first to go would be to go out into the parking lot and look at bumper stickers to see who voted for the most incompetent clueless fool to ever reside in the White House." I can only imagine that there are a few Bush04 stickers still on the cars in the parking lot there.

And by the way, in the 2008 Election in Box Elder County, the presidential results were McCain 15,228 and Obama 3,311. Get it, Obama only got 17% of the vote.

So why doesn't ATK, a private contractor, design it's own lower cost space launcher and get a chunk of the private space budget? Duh!!!

Last week Bishop said Obama "thinks Washington D.C. is the answer to everything." And this week Bishop is saying "Washington D.C. needs to do x, y, and z." All thur the 1970's and 80's Bishop laughed and mocked anything relating to "goverment program", but now suddenly he is for government involvement in economy and jobs. Everyone laid off at ATK, if they are Republican, can go start their own company (which Bishop never has--he has always lived off government). I can assure you the same people complaining about lay-offs are the same people griping about the national debt. The Iraq War created a lot of military jobs and it was all a mistake. Utah for decades has lived off the government which is why it is a great state for democracy.