A Worthy New Purpose for Space and More Discussion of Fuel Depots

“Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee,” also known as the “Augustine Committee,” declared a new overarching purpose for America’s national space enterprise:

“the underlying reason why we do human spaceflight is the extension of human civilization beyond Earth“

The official Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee webpage is here.

This is a great reason and one that this site agrees with.

Adjoining that should be:

1. a tight space agency focus on technology and systems that greatly reduce the cost of space access
2. the industrialization/creation of infrastructure in space (the solar system).
3. Infrastructure that allows the use and leveraging of the material and energy resources

Speculist comment on the new goal for space.

Alan Boyle, Msnbc cosmic log, covers the fuel depot concept.

The 5 page pdf fuel depot white paper reviewed by the committee

Hobby space is tracking information from the Augustine Commission and reactions from around the blogosphere and internet.