Space is somewhat like a top secret document. Often folks knows it's there - they simply can't access it.

I've mentioned several times that all NASA's activities fall under DOD approval, with special emphasis on manned activities. It must be one of the best kept secrets in space exploration since some folks either don't believe me or worse, fail to grasp the significance of this oversight.

People think of NASA as a space agency. It's not really. NASA is an act - a law.

I sit here at my desk, the Dazor lamp glowing peacefully with a warm hum as if it's 1958.

I flip the SDAI time retriever circuits with a simple code sequence and locate the object I need for a quick class session.

Suddenly sitting upon this most solid of desks is the National Aerounatics and Space Acts law as it was passed by Congress on July 29, 1958 by the 85th Congress. (Law 85-568)

"such activities shall be the responsibility of, and shall be directed by a civilian agency exercising control over aeronautical and space activities of the United States, except that activities peculiar to or primarily associated with the development of weapons systems, military operations or the defense of the United States (including the research and development necessary to make effective provision for the defense of the United States) shall be the responsibility of and directed by the Department of Defense; and that determination of which such agency has responsibility for an direction of any such activityshall be made by the President in accordance with 201(e)."

Manned mars missions? DOD determination.
Manned moon mission - DOD determination.

Real quickly NASA administrators realized they were not powerful and had little clout. LEO was all they could expect to receive approval for. The President had the final say and the President's are surrounded by the Joint Chiefs

Do you really think that it is just money that keeps men off the moon or even from orbiting the moon to conduct observation? After all we had already perfected the ships to get there and back by 1969. That NO manned explorations to anywhere have occurred and only robots have gone out to explore our solar system?

Yes manned flight is more complex - but the total absence of any manned mission outside LEO should make it clear LEO is as far as the DOD really wants us to go.

NASA has LEO - nothing more.

It's not money. It's not NASA dragging their feet. It's rather that those feet have been shackled since NASA's inception.

To go into space requires lobbying Congress for a change in the National Aeronautic and Space Act and clarification of the language employed. Otherwise you better come up with military reasons for a manned mission going into space that can be sold to the military.

You think it's a coincidence that MGS is operated by the same guy who built cameras for spy satellites? Sure they're good cameras but its also about national defense and getting any breakthrough information (even planetary and scientific data) first. It's outside LEO - and therefore its DOD time.

SDAI-Tech1