WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a Science and Space Subcommittee hearing today on Assessing Commercial Space Capabilities.

Witness List:

Lieutenant General Thomas P. Stafford, United States Air Force, (Ret.); Astronaut (Ret.)

Mr. Bryan D. O’Connor, Chief, Safety and Mission Assurance, National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Dr. George C. Nield, Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration

Mr. Malcolm L. Peterson, Former NASA Comptroller

Mr. Michael C. Gass, President and Chief Executive Officer, United Launch Alliance

Mr. Frank L. Culbertson, Jr., Senior Vice President and Deputy General Manager, Advanced Programs Group, Orbital Sciences Corporation

Ms. Gwynne Shotwell, President, SpaceX

Key Quotations from Today’s Hearing:

“The space program is still at a critical juncture. With any new proposal or substantial investment we can never forget to ask that simple critically important question: does it work for our country – will it help our people?”

Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV

“More fully developing the commercial space industry will allow NASA to focus more intensely on the critical mission of going to Mars and continuing to explore our universe.”

Senator Bill Nelson, Chairman, U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Science and Space

“The choice is now plain: either we will provide the funding necessary to accomplish worthy objectives in space, or this nation will cede its leadership on the space frontier to others. I wish to add my voice to those who say that this leadership, the result of five decades of effort purchased at the cost of nearly a trillion of today’s dollars and many lives, some of them given by close friends of mine, must not be allowed simply to drift away. As a nation, as a people, we must be better than that.”

Lieutenant General Thomas P. Stafford, United States Air Force, (Ret.); Astronaut (Ret.)

“The risk of human spaceflight is inherently high, and we know from the past that we are never as smart about this business as we think we are. We still see new safety issues on the Space Shuttle after 130 flights. Therefore, we are always looking for ways to improve our risk posture by continuously questioning our assumptions, refining our models, checking our work, and providing appropriate oversight and/or insight to the work of our contractors.”

Mr. Bryan D. O’Connor, Chief, Safety and Mission Assurance, National Aeronautics and Space Administration

“This is a historic opportunity to put to work, side-by-side, decades of space operations and regulatory experience to write the next volume of American excellence in spaceflight. The FAA is excited to be a part of the story.”

Dr. George C. Nield, Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration

“The oversight and engagement levels of NASA in the commercial transportation service venture cannot start out low, in my estimation, because the trust has not yet been earned.”

Mr. Malcolm L. Peterson, Former NASA Comptroller

“Our nation must have the constancy of purpose to have a strong human and robotic science and exploration program. This program must transcend any one company or agency solution, and the implementation must be affordable, sustainable and flexible.”

Mr. Michael C. Gass, President and Chief Executive Officer, United Launch Alliance 

“Our nation continues to inspire people throughout the world for our commitment to freedom, creativity, exploration, and commerce. Opening the right doors for industry to participate more broadly on a commercial basis will help maintain and enhance America’s leadership on the space frontier.”

Mr. Frank L. Culbertson, Jr., Senior Vice President and Deputy General Manager, Advanced Programs Group, Orbital Sciences Corporation

“As is true with respect to commercial aviation, businesses will fail unless safety and reliability come first, regardless of price point. The need for a laser-like focus on safety and reliability becomes even more acute when commercial space companies put their own financial skin in the game, offer services on a firm-fixed price basis against competing bidders (rather than cost-plus, ‘no-lose’ contracts), and get paid in full only if they perform.”

Ms. Gwynne Shotwell, President, SpaceX

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