Florida's Rubio Blasts Obama's Space Policy

As the Space Shuttle Endeavour readies for its final flight Friday, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio criticized President Barack Obama’s handling of the nation’s space policy.

In an opinion article published Tuesday in the Orlando Sentinel, Rubio said “While it is an opportunity to celebrate Endeavour's history and the brave people who have made it a proud one, it is also a bittersweet occasion. The president's space policy is jeopardizing America's longstanding commitment to manned space exploration. This has serious consequences for Florida.”

He said the cancellation of the Constellation space program will cost Florida jobs, and the country its leading position in space exploration.

“Although America once led the way to the moon, we now face the unacceptable prospect of limited options to simply get a human into space.

“By failing to develop a heavy-lift rocket and crew vehicle to replace the space shuttle program, America will fall behind in the space race. China, India and Russia are all committed to establishing a pre-eminent position in space and have invested in manned space exploration to fulfill their ambitions.”

Rubio urged the president not give up on manned space flight.
“Our trailblazing space program reflects all the things that make America exceptional — courage, ingenuity and ambition,” he said.