Opening Statement by Rep. Ralph Hall at hearings “The Future of Human Space Flight”

Good morning.  I would like to welcome the witnesses to today’s hearing.  We appreciate all of you taking the time to come to the Hill to help us determine where the nation should go with its human space flight program.

Today’s hearing is especially timely given the successful launch and recovery of China’s first astronaut.  China is now the third nation to be able to send its people into space.  I want to congratulate the Chinese people on this achievement, and I wish them well.

I would also note that the Chinese have indicated that this week’s launch is just the first step in an ambitious and incremental program of human space exploration.  It seems to me that we can take a lesson from their evident commitment to a phased set of goals for human space flight.  I believe that we would profit as a nation from following that same approach.

Mr. Chairman, it is proper that we take some time in the aftermath of the Space Shuttle Columbia accident to determine the best path forward.  However, I think we should move beyond a debate on whether or not we should have a human space flight program.  There should no longer be a question of robotic versus human exploration-clearly, both will be needed to explore our solar system.  Moreover, it has been clear since the early years of the Space Age that the human exploration of space is a fundamental expectation of the American people-indeed of people all over the world.    Revisiting the debate over the role of human space flight in the aftermath of an accident is understandable.  However, I think that it also symptomatic of our unwillingness as a nation to commit to a clear set of goals for the human space flight program and to the resources required over the long haul to achieve them.  We can and should do better.

As you know, Rep. Nick Lampson on our Committee has reintroduced legislation that he first introduced in the 107th Congress.  His bill, the “Space Exploration Act of 2003” (H.R. 3057), would establish a phased set of goals for America’s human space flight program, whereby the achievement of each goal helps provide the capabilities needed to attain successive goals. Adoption of Rep. Lampson’s bill would go a long way towards providing a rational framework for our human space exploration investment decisions.  I am happy to be a co-sponsor, and I hope that other Members will join me in the coming days.

However, whatever legislative approach we wind up taking, I hope that today’s hearing will start the process of coming to some consensus on concrete goals.

At the same time, we cannot allow our focus on the future to distract us from the needs of the present.  It is clear to me that any talk of bold new human exploration initiatives will ring hollow unless we are first prepared to meet our existing commitments.  In particular, I would echo the sentiments expressed by one of our witnesses, Dr. Griffin, when he states: “…the international faith and credibility of the United States is tied, in part, to the orderly completion of the International Space Station.  We must complete its construction, to include the original seven-man crew capability, and establish a utilization plan for the facility that returns as much value as possible.”

In addition, NASA will need to ensure over the near term that adequate contingency plans are in place to protect the viability of the Space Station in the event of further delays in the Shuttle return-to-flight schedule.  I hope and expect that such plans are in preparation.

Mr. Chairman, budgets are likely to be tight for the foreseeable future.  That’s the reality.  As a result, it is even more important that Congress and the Administration need to work together to come up with a clear set of goals for the future of the human space flight program.  Given goals, we can then determine how much we can afford to expend on an annual basis towards meeting those goals.  I believe we have the means to start an exciting chapter in human exploration.  We just need to decide where we want to go and then get started.