The preliminary report of a blue-ribbon space policy panel on Sept. 8, 2009, nudged forward several promises made by Barack Obama during the presidential campaign. One of those was to "enlist international partners to provide International Space Station cargo resupply and eventually alternate means for sending crews to the ISS."
A 12-page summary of findings was released by the U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee, a panel more commonly known as the Augustine Committee, after its chairman, Norman Augustine, the former CEO of Lockheed Martin. While the summary did not get into details about how international cooperation can specifically help resupply efforts to the International Space Station, the panel did reaffirm its support for the space station itself and for international collaboration on it.
"The committee finds that the return on investment of (the International Space Station) to both the United States and the international partners would be significantly enhanced by an extension of ISS life to 2020," the summary said. "It seems unwise to de-orbit the station after 25 years of assembly and only five years of operational life. Not to extend its operation would significantly impair U.S. ability to develop and lead future international space flight partnerships. Further, the ISS should be funded to enable it to achieve its full potential: as the nation's newest national laboratory, as an enhanced test bed for technologies and operational techniques that support exploration, and as a framework that can support expanded international collaboration."
The summary continued, "The strong and tested working relationship among international partners is perhaps the most important outcome of the ISS program. The partnership expresses a 'first-among-equals' U.S. leadership style adapted to today's multi-polar world."
Meanwhile, a NASA report released on Sept. 10, 2009, detailed the scientific experiments undertaken in recent years on the ISS. In an accompanying news release, NASA touted the contributions of such international allies as the European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. "In 2009, the number of crew members increased from three to six, greatly increasing crew time available for research," the statement noted. "The stage is set for increased station scientific return when assembly and outfitting of the research facility is completed in 2010 and its full potential as a national and international laboratory is realized. Engineers and scientists from around the world are working together to refine operational relationships and build on experiences to ensure maximum use of the expanded capabilities."
This report, combined with the Augustine panel's statement, clearly supports continued operations for the ISS and strong support for international collaboration, even if details are scarce. Officially, the Augustine panel's findings are only options for the Obama administration to consider, and as of this writing, the full report is not even out. But its deliberations are being taken very seriously in NASA, in the White House, by lawmakers, and in the larger space community. For this reason, we rate this promise as In the Works.