Davis Says Space Budget Cuts Could Impact Local Workers
By Tony Batt / Stephens Media Group
Columbia Daily Herald
September 12, 2004

WASHINGTON -- Last February's crash of the shuttle Columbia may lead to space program budget cuts and eventually job losses for Tennessee workers, Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn., said Thursday.

Davis is a member of the House Science Committee, which conducted a hearing Wednesday on the shuttle disaster. Seven astronauts died when Columbia broke apart over Texas on Feb. 1.

The investigation and cleanup of the Columbia accident already has cost the government almost $400 million, NASA said Thursday.

"Obviously, when you look at the facilities where a lot of folks work in our district, there is a concern that we might lose funding," Davis said.

Davis was referring to the Arnold Engineering Development Center near Tullahoma, Tenn. and the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.

Arnold employs about 2,800 workers and only three reside in Maury County, according to Arnold spokeswoman Lira Frye.

"We do some testing for the space program, but most of our work is done for the military," Frye said.

By comparison, between 2,500 and 3,000 of Davis' constituents work at Marshall, according to Davis spokesman Tom Hayden.

"We have to be very cautious about cuts, because we need to make sure the space program is safe," Davis said.

The 13-member Columbia Accident Investigation Board issued a scathing report of NASA last month, saying organizational barriers at the agency prevented effective communication of critical safety information. Columbia was the second shuttle disaster, following the Jan. 28, 1986 explosion of the Challenger which also killed seven astronauts.

During Wednesday's hearing, Rep. Joe Barton urged NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe to convert three existing shuttles to unmanned vehicles. Barton called the idea of building safe shuttles a "fairy tale."

Although he stopped short of endorsing Barton's plan, Davis said he is open to the idea of unmanned space flight.

"We have lost one shuttle for every 57 flights and that is not a good ratio," Davis said. "I do believe we need to continue space flights, but maybe we can follow the example of the Russians and use unmanned vehicles to transport hardware into space."

Another important reason to continue space flights is to complete and operate the international space station, which can perform valuable research that may lead to cures for serious diseases, Davis said.

"There are those who want to plan space flights to Mars, but I think we're a long way from that even with the technology that we have," Davis said.

NASA shuttles have been grounded since the Challenger disaster, although the agency hopes to resume flights next year. O'Keefe assured the committee the cost of initiating new flights would be modest. One NASA official reportedly estimated the cost would be less than $1 billion.

"Mr. O'Keefe didn't seem to answer questions as concisely or as completely as I would have liked," Davis said.