Thousands more jobs will be created indirectly. These are jobs our country not only needs but also must have to maintain its leadership in space exploration.
The new NASA budget includes funding for a commercial crew program, which if enacted will:

• Create thousands of high-tech, high-paying U.S. jobs over the next five years.
• Eliminate dependence on Russia after the retirement of the Space Shuttle by flying American astronauts on American vehicles.
• Ensure the U.S. does not lose access to the International Space Station—a project that represents $100 billion investment of U.S. taxpayer dollars.
• Help America maintain its leadership in space exploration.
• Allow NASA to focus resources and its exploration mission to exploring destinations beyond low Earth orbit.
• Save U.S. taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars on transportation costs to the International Space Station by utilizing commercial crew vehicles. 

By making a series of careful, targeted investments, NASA can quickly and affordably enable the development of commercial spaceflight capabilities to carry crew to the International Space Station. NASA’s Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program awards these investments to companies to stimulate efforts that will aid in the development and demonstration of safe, reliable, and cost-effective space transportation capabilities. As NASA retires the Space Shuttle, the ability of private industry to take on the task of providing frequent access to space is of vital importance.

And, to maximize benefits to NASA and the taxpayer, NASA should fund multiple fixed-price, milestone-based Space Act Agreements for development of commercial crew capabilities, leveraging capital from the private sector. These agreements offer substantially lower costs to the taxpayer as opposed to traditional cost-plus programs.

The American economy and the future of our space program need your support now more than ever. Please take a few minutes to send your message to Congress and share your thoughts on why you support a Commercial Crew Program. We applaud your efforts to make a meaningful impact on America's future in space, and we thank you for your support!

 

*Source: Commercial Spaceflight Federation