98
102
Mars Wars
103
Chapter 4: The 90-Day Study
On 19 December, based on the recommendation of the Blue Ribbon Discussion
Group, Vice President Quayle directed NASA to take the lead in seeking out and
evaluating technical and policy alternatives for implementing SEI. Quayle wrote
Admiral Truly saying “America’s space program has always been a recognized source
of innovation. We need to bring that same innovativeness to bear today [and] ensure
that all reasonable conceptual space exploration alternatives have been evaluated.
We need to cast our net widely drawing upon America’s creative potential to ensure
that we are benefiting from a broad range of promising new technologies, and inno-
vative uses of existing technologies.” Quayle’s position was clearly that not only had
the 90-Day Study been based on outdated technology, but the TSG had not even
applied those technologies in innovative ways. This was harsh criticism. The deci-
sion to give the space agency competition for strategic planning for human explora-
tion was unprecedented in the history of the space age. It removed a 30-year NASA
monopoly and signaled a serious lack of confidence in the organization’s ability to
formulate pioneering mission designs while taking into account the challenges of
the existing political environment.
78
Two days later, a seemingly humbled Truly announced that “the time has come
now, not only to continue our analysis of exploration mission alternatives but also
to begin actual pursuit of the innovative and enabling technologies that have been
identified as necessary to proceed.” This statement was a very public admission
that the TSG had not identified innovative approaches for SEI. Nevertheless, Truly
stated his belief that the Office of Exploration had conducted exceptional work
setting a foundation for future human missions to the Moon and Mars. This was
perhaps an indication that NASA still felt that its vision represented the best option
for exploration of the solar system.
79
/
80
78
Vice President Quayle to Admiral Richard Truly, 19 December 1989, Bush Presidential Records,
George Bush Presidential Library.
79
Press Release 89-185, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 21 December 1989,
Bush Presidential Records, George Bush Presidential Library; William J. Broad, “NASA Losing 30-
Year Monopoly In Planning for Moon and Mars,” 周e New York Times (15 January 1990).
80
Admiral Truly did not formally reply to the White House direction until 31 January 1990.
In a letter to Vice President Quayle, he provided details of a process for soliciting outside strategic
approaches for SEI implementation. 周is process would include the release of a NASA Research
Announcement. 周e space agency would specifically seek inputs from professional societies (including
the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics—AIAA) and other federal agencies. 周e plan
also envisioned a national conference that would be jointly sponsored by NASA and AIAA. All of
these efforts would be coordinated through a newly created Office of Aeronautics, Exploration, and
Technology. [Admiral Richard Truly to Vice President Quayle, 31 January 1990, Bush Presidential
Records, George Bush Presidential Library.]
Over the course of the subsequent month, the Space Council began working
behind the scenes to get SEI back on track. This included Council meetings aimed
at developing a policy directive for the initiative and conferences with key members
of Congress. Most importantly, however, the Administration was working on its
fiscal year 1991 budget. President Bush was set to request a dramatically increased
space budget, 24% higher than the previous year. This included a significant com-
mitment to Mission to Planet Earth (raised 53%), a considerable boost in fund-
ing for Space Station Freedom (raised 39%), and a noteworthy enlargement of the
space exploration budget (raised 32%). The budget included a new account for the
Moon-Mars initiative, but the administration intended to make it clear that for the
next few years SEI-related efforts would focus on pushing emerging and new tech-
nologies—those with the greatest potential for achieving the initiative faster, better,
and cheaper.
81
The White House did not intend to lock onto any single program
design or architecture until a thorough search for innovative technical alternatives
had been completed.
82
In late January, when the budget was officially submitted to Congress, the new
funding for SEI was grouped together with on-going exploration efforts. Combining
these budget lines made it appear that the space agency was asking for approximately
$1.3 billion to support the robotic science missions and research and development
activities required to push the initiative forward. In reality, only $300 million rep-
resented new spending for programs associated with SEI.
83
After the budget’s public
release, The New York Times reported that the proposed 24% increase in the NASA
budget (a $2.8 billion boost to $15.1 billion) signaled President Bush’s commitment
to put money behind the exploration initiative. Admiral Truly stated “this is the
most important budget for us … it’s going to set our course, if we’re successful, for
many years to come and over a wide range of programs.”
84
The article pointed out
81
A few years later, NASA Administrator Dan Goldin, who would become the second administrator
appointed by the Bush administration, made “faster, better, cheaper” the mantra of NASA. 周e concept
emerged earlier, however, as the administration was trying to “infuse that kind of SDI mentality” into
the SEI alternative generation process. [Albrecht interview]
82
Talking Points, Meeting with Republican Members of House Science Committee, National
Space Council, 22 January 1990, Bush Presidential Records, George Bush Presidential Library.
83
White House Office of Management and Budget, “Budget of the United States of American,
Fiscal Year 1991,” 29 January 1990, pp. 49-82.
84
“NASA Budget Press Conference: Statement of Richard H. Truly, NASA Administrator,” NASA
News (29 January 1990); John Noble Wilford, “Budget for the Space Agency Sets Broader Course in
Exploration,” 周e New York Times (2 February 1990), p. 19.
