December 14, 2009

TakeBackYourSpaceProgram!

TheCampaigntoOpentheSpaceFrontierisReadyforFirstFlight

Fordecades,theAmericanspaceprogramhasbeenheldhostagebyspecialinterestswhohavekeptuschainedtoplanetEarth.Nextyear,thatwillchange.In2010,AmericancitizenswillvisitCapitolHilltotakebacktheAmericanspaceprogram.FirstFlightofthisyear‐longeffortisscheduledfortheweekofFebruary7‐12,2010.

TheFirstFlightagendawilladvocatefor:

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egislationtoprovidematchingfundstofly200teachersperyearintospaceandtocreateaprofessional‐developmentprogramthatprovidesteacherswithrealisticspaceflighttrainingexperiencesandknowledgetheycanbringbacktotheirclassrooms;

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ullfundingforNASA’sinnovativeCommercialReusableSuborbitalResearch(CRuSR)program;

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IncreasedfundingfortheCentennialChallengesspaceprizeprogram;and

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RestoringNASA’sfocusonresearchandexplorationwhileturningspacetransportationovertotheprivatesector,through:

EndingAresIlaunch‐vehicledevelopment

and other NASA-unique vehicles;

SecuringcommercialcrewandcargotransportationservicestomeettheneedsofNASAresearchandexplorationprograms,and

Pursuingthe“FlexiblePath”forexplorationoftheMoon,Mars,asteroids,andbeyond.

FirstFlightbeginsonSunday,February7withatrainingsessioncoveringtheissuesandmechanicsofCongressionalvisits.(Training

will