February 5th, 2010
Why has NASA failed to Answer Call for Hydrogen Convergence?
There is a global competition going on to produce the first commercial hydrogen fuel cell aircraft. Examples of it can be seen on the Hydrogen Convergence YouTube channel. Unfortunately, NASA has not publicly entered the fray. NASA is by far the biggest consumer of hydrogen and hydrogen technology in the United States but it has not devoted any resources to help maintain America’s competitiveness.
Today Buzz Aldrin of Apollo 11 fame shed some light on the delay. In a Huffington Post article, Mr. Aldrin described the colossal system failure which has left the National Aeronautics and Space Administration a shell of its former self. Working and middle class Americans will not be shocked to hear the story of one more ponzi scheme that has robbed them of yet another critical asset.
President Barack Obama in his Fiscal Year 2011 budget has increased substantially funding for Earth Sciences Programs. However, President Obama has done nothing to help the United States remain competitive in the race to develop the first commercial hydrogen fuel cell aircraft. This task has been left to service members in the Air Force and Navy to handle with monies they’ve scrounged.
The plight of America’s Aviation Industry cannot be blamed on the Department of Energy. It can’t be dismissed as just another example of Secretary Chu not believing in hydrogen convergence. This actually points to a much bigger concern that was voiced by Frank Borman, another NASA pioneer, in a different time when he spoke of a “failure of imagination.”
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: Air Force, aviation, hydrogen, NASA, Navy, ObamaFebruary 3rd, 2010
Hydrogen Convergence of Obama’s Plans for NASA
We at the ebTDesign Forum enthusiastically support President Barack Obama’s plans for NASA as long at they include funding for hydrogen convergence at airports. If the funding will only support the development of “spaceports” then it will be just another step toward a very slippery slope that disenfranchises small town Americans. We see airport improvement as an additional challenge NASA must address in order to fully realize commercial space flight.
National policy is most effective when it takes into account regional differences. Any plan that only benefits coastal states ignores the economic reality of lack luster job growth which confronts the nation as a whole. Unless, we can hold the center of the country and not abandon it to outside interests, then the working and middle class will never recover.
As we discussed in yesterday’s blog segment, airports enable lifestyle choices that greatly benefit hometown communities. They allow small town sea turtles to return to the communities they grew up in without giving up the face time required for establishing and growing business relationships. These are the same relationships that can be invaluable to the overall health and welfare of rural regions.
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden spoke of President Obama’s desire to enhance the focus on commercial partnerships. We at the ebTDesign Forum would also like to remind Administrator Bolden of NASA’s other middle name which is Aeronautics. Any NASA plan that does not include at least some programs like hydrogen convergence which benefit aviation and airport systems does not live up to the historic spirit of this storied organization.
Zachary Alexander
Concepts: airports, hydrogen, NASA, Obama, sea turtles