The Democratic Party has expressed support for NASA, an ongoing presence on the International Space Station and missions to the moon and Mars, according to a draft by the Democratic Party 2020 platform released on Tuesday (July 21
The draft platform, which you can read here outlining the party’s platform, was sent to party officials for review last week. The document includes a section on space policy, describing how an administration led by alleged Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden can handle space exploration.
As the platform states: “Democrats continue to support the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and are committed to continuing space exploration and discovery.”
“We believe in continuing the spirit of discovery that has enlivened NASA’s human space exploration, in addition to scientific and medical research, technological innovation, and an educational mission that allows us to better understand our own planet and place in the universe.” she
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The platform continues to specifically cite support for “our continued presence on the International Space Station” and mentions NASA’s goals to land American astronauts on the moon again and on Mars for the first time. “We support NASA’s work to bring the Americans back to the moon and go beyond Mars by taking the next step in the study of our solar system,” the platform said.
However, the document does not explicitly state the agency’s goal of landing a equipped mission to the moon by 2024 (the goal of NASA’s current Artemis program) and does not specify a deadline or deadline for these lunar images.
In addition, the platform continues to support NASA’s “strengthening” Earth observation missions that study climate change and its impact on our planet.
At least from this initial review, it seems that the party has no intention of making drastic changes at NASA. In particular, while the platform does not specify 2024 as the moon landing target, the stated support for equipped lunar missions seems to imply continued support for Artemis.
“NASA supporters can sigh with relief when they read the draft on the Democratic Platform,” John Logsden, Professor Emeritus of the George Washington University Space Policy Institute, told SpaceNews.
“There are no speculations about major changes in NASA’s direction or programs, with the good exception of the apparent retreat of the unrealistic 2024 deadline for the first Americans to return to the moon,” Logsden told SpaceNews. “This is generally a very supportive endorsement of the nation’s space efforts.”
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This is not Biden’s only recent involvement in space exploration. Biden was vice president of the Obama administration, who saw a number of major developments in the space sector, including the dramatic rise of commercial space flight.
Biden also spoke briefly on the subject following the successful launch of SpaceX’s Demo-2 mission on May 30.
“I congratulate NASA, SpaceX and all the hard-working women and men who made a victory today for American innovation and perseverance,” he said in a statement. “This mission is the culmination of work that began years ago, and which President Obama and I fought hard to ensure that it became a reality.”
“As president, I expect to achieve America’s commitment to pursue outer space and unlock scientific discoveries that will inspire a new generation of dreamers to look to the sky and imagine everything that could be our future,” Biden added.
Email Chelsea God at cgohd@space.com or follow her on Twitter @chelsea_gohd. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
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