What is a spacefaring society, and how do we get there from here? In addressing these questions, this book examines how partisanship and parochialism have hindered American space dreams in recent years, and demonstrates that the lessons we should have learned from U.S. history can put us on a more productive path. Instead of being stuck in Stage One space development (space as a training ground), we can move more quickly to Stage Two (Earth-Moon space as an industrial park) and eventually to Stage Three (human activity across the solar system). The keys to achieving this are routine proximity operations throughout Earth-Moon space, sustainable space infrastructure, and a new level of collaboration between the public and private sectors – not adventure trips to distant solar system destinations.

1. Becoming Spacefarers
Rescuing America’s
Space Program
published June 2012
by Xlibris Corporation
James A. Vedda, Ph.D.

2. Motivations for writing this book
• U.S. space efforts are at a turning
point
– We’ve been saying this for
decades, but this time it’s really true
• We’re doing a poor job of strategic
decision-making at a critical time
– Partisanship and parochialism distract
us from long-term vision and the
national interest
– We’re still focusing human spaceflight
efforts on destinations rather than
capabilities and knowledge
– We’re still arguing about the roles of
the public and private sectors, and the
extent of collaboration between them
• The best approach to space
development is receiving little
attention

3. Reviews
• In Becoming Spacefarers: Rescuing America’s Space Program, James A. Vedda, one of
the most innovative space policy analysts working today, offers a no-nonsense account of
the current doldrums of spaceflight in the United States and how the nation might deal with
it. He makes clear that we are in a crisis, that business as usual will not enable us to
overcome it, and that it is not sufficient to rest on past successes or to accept the present
partisanship and parochialism. In addition to diagnosing the problems, Vedda also offers
useful and in some cases provocative prescriptions for how Americans might untie the
Gordian knot of current approaches to spaceflight. – Dr. Roger Launius, senior curator of
space history at the National Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution
• Vedda offers us a well-written and well-argued case, drawing on his expert knowledge of
the history of spaceflight and his vision for the future. If you want to understand what’s
wrong with U.S. space policy and how to fix it – read this book! – Dr. James Clay Moltz,
professor at the Naval Postgraduate School and author of The Politics of Space Security
and Asia’s Space Race
• Jim Vedda gives the reader a no-nonsense review of the on-going, albeit twisted trajectory
of U.S. space program prowess. This is a well-reasoned and expertly researched book that
is unique in its scope and issues tackled. For even the most hardened space cadet, my
advice is to lift up your helmet visor and take a clear, close read about good, bad, and
muddled decision-making in the past – but more importantly, what’s needed to create a
sustainable space agenda for the future. – Leonard David, SPACE.com’s Insider Columnist

4. Main themes
• Three stages of space development: training
ground, industrial park in Earth-Moon space, and
settlement & expansion in the solar system
• Goals for the current era: reach stage two by
building space infrastructure that creates economic
value, societal benefits, and new knowledge
• Parallel development of multiple space
infrastructure elements through strong public-
private collaboration
• Making space activity mainstream: it needs to move
beyond being a political pawn and a jobs program

5. Chapter 1
Defining “spacefaring”
• Today, a “spacefaring society” is one that has
some combination of capabilities in
launch, scientific research, and space
manufacturing
- In the long run, the definition is a moving target
that may come to include space settlement and
wide-ranging commercial activity
• Societal acceptance of space applications
has become widespread, but human space
activity is still elite, exotic, futuristic
• Next steps in space require expansion and
diversification of enduring infrastructure
- As on Earth, that means a greater role for the
private sector as investors and operators

6. Chapter 2
Resistance, doubt, and other realities
• Some discredit the notion that we’ll go any
farther than we already have; others worry
that space advances will bring more harm
than good
• Proponents counter with an array of space
visions, but many of these are premature or
try to skip important steps
Space is a high-cost, high-risk, long-term activity, so
it’s more important to get it right than to do it fast.

7. Chapter 3
Hope, change, and the space program
• The Obama administration immediately
directed its attention to the space program
– More than expected, given the problems inherited in
the economy, overseas conflict, etc.
– Initiated interagency study; appointed the Augustine
Committee; chose a new NASA administrator
• Shuttle flights would end during first
term, severely impacting the space workforce
– Current path was unsustainable, particularly in
human spaceflight
• Augustine Committee report (October 2009)
was not well received by Congress

8. Chapter 4
2010: The year we made conflict
• Obama’s FY2011 budget proposal set a new
path
– Right direction, but inadequate vision and strategy
– Lunar program (Constellation) cancelled, causing
a firestorm of protest
• Everyone with a stake in the status quo
objected loudly; opposition politicians cast the
proposal in apocalyptic terms
• Many applauded the new direction, but
partisan resistance and parochial interests
forced substantial rollbacks in Obama’s plan

9. Chapters 5 & 6
2011-12: The battle continues…
• Members of Congress maneuvered for advantage over the White
House and each other
– Partisan attacks on the president
– Parochial schemes sought to gain (or prevent loss of) jobs in particular
states and congressional districts
• Space on the presidential campaign trail
– Generally not an issue, but the Republican primary in Florida brought
brief exposure (mostly ridicule)
– Newt Gingrich advocated a lunar base; the media and his opponents
(especially Mitt Romney) belittled his ideas
• Contrary to conventional wisdom, the space program has always
been buffeted by partisanship – but it’s become more visible recently
– However, parochialism can trump political ideology when jobs are the
hottest issue on the domestic agenda
– Example: Many Republicans have favored big government space
programs over commercial space development because they have
NASA activity in their state or district

10. Chapter 7
History tells us…
• Big infrastructure projects always involve
collaboration between the public and private
sectors – and space will be no different
– Common requirements: research, risk management,
large up-front investment, need for an anchor customer
(at least initially), public safety, product quality
• Analogies in U.S. transportation industries over
the past two centuries
– Many lessons to be learned from development,
operation, and regulation of maritime, rail, road, and
aviation industries

11. Chapters 8 & 9
Space must become mainstream
• The Apollo approach is no longer valid, but what do
we replace it with?
– Destination-driven crash programs are unsustainable and lack
a lasting purpose
– Difficult to find the right balance
• Specific missions demand specific solutions, providing technical
focus and deadlines, but hindering broad, lasting utility
• Investment in a broad range of technologies can have multiple
applications, but lacks focus and milestones
• Government investment in research must continue,
but operations need to move out of NASA as soon as
possible
• Infrastructure should aim to serve multiple purposes
over an extended period, not isolated missions

12. Chapter 10
The Next Great Thing
• To become mainstream, space activities must develop
functionality similar to terrestrial activities
– Repair, refuel, and reposition orbiting assets
– Clean up debris hazards
– Protect against natural hazards (e.g., radiation, incoming
asteroids)
– Use nearby (i.e., extraterrestrial) materials and energy sources
• Key to all of this is proximity operations
– Today’s space applications simply send electrons back and
forth for communications, navigation, and remote sensing
– There are options for addressing treaty and security concerns

13. Chapters 11 & 12
Big questions and strategic roadmaps
• Agreement on the “big questions” for human spaceflight
has been more elusive than for space science
– But it boils down to: Can humans “live off the land” in space, and
can they consistently create value that justifies the cost and risk?
• National and global efforts are formulating technical and
mission roadmaps (e.g., NASA, National Research
Council, and the Global Exploration Roadmap)
– Some promising approaches, but still some outdated destination-
driven ideas
– Global effort proposes two alternatives, both ultimately aimed at
Mars: Moon-Next and Asteroid-Next
Proposed alternative: Cislunar-Next, which would
address the “big questions” close to home and build
the fundamentals for the exploration and development
to follow.

14. Find Becoming Spacefarers at:
• Amazon
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• Barnes & Noble
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spacefarers-james-a-
vedda/1111766868?ean=9781477130919