Former astronaut John Glenn: U.S. has no manned launch capability for the "next five to ten years"
Show me the U.S. launch capsule that can send a person into space.
When you are out of the game for the "next five to ten years," you are second-best. There is no way around it.
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The John Glenn School of Public Affairs | Sen. John Glenn?s statement regarding NASA manned space flight
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STATEMENT OF SENATOR JOHN GLENN (Ret.)
REGARDING NASA MANNED SPACE FLIGHT – JUNE 17, 2010
These are critical days for the future of Manned Space Flight. Conflicting views and advice come to the President and Congress from every quarter in the aerospace and science communities. There is good reason for the concern.
The U.S. for the first time since the beginning of the Space Age will have no way to launch anyone into space – starting next January.
Our astronauts will have to be launched in Russian spacecraft, from a Russian base in Kazakhstan, to go to our International Space Station.
Starting at the end of this year, and probably for the next five to ten years, the launches of U.S. astronauts into space will be viewed in classrooms and homes in America only through the courtesy of Russian TV.
For the “world’s greatest spacefaring nation,” that is hard to accept.
I do not believe it has to be this way."