Obama Moves to Counter China With Pentagon-NASA Link

[bananas]

The Department of Moonland Defense:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aGMy_XFWN_VY&refer=home

Obama Moves to Counter China With Pentagon-NASA Link (Update1)
By Demian McLean

Jan. 2 (Bloomberg) -- President-elect Barack Obama will probably tear down long-standing barriers between the U.S.’s civilian and military space programs to speed up a mission to the moon amid the prospect of a new space race with China.

Obama’s transition team is considering a collaboration between the Defense Department and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration because military rockets may be cheaper and ready sooner than the space agency’s planned launch vehicle, which isn’t slated to fly until 2015, according to people who’ve discussed the idea with the Obama team.

The potential change comes as Pentagon concerns are rising over China’s space ambitions because of what is perceived as an eventual threat to U.S. defense satellites, the lofty battlefield eyes of the military.

<snip>

Obama has said the Pentagon’s space program -- which spent about $22 billion in fiscal year 2008, almost a third more than NASA’s budget -- could be tapped to speed the civilian agency toward its goals as the recession pressures federal spending.

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[John Q. Citizen]

1. Not sure i believe in an arms race as "change." I know this is speculative at this

point but I don't much like the speculation.

[Indenturedebtor]

3. An arms race is what led to the development of rocketry in the first place

And what a great way to dip into our bloated military budget. I think this is a fantastic idea :D

[Buzz Clik]

2. There are barriers between NASA and the Pentagon? Really?

How does one explain that about one in five shuttle missions is top secret and 100% military oriented?

I love creating a false premise as the foundation for an argument.