Romney Campaign Press Release - Leaders in America's Space Program Write Open Letter in Support of Mitt Romney

Leaders in America's space program today wrote an open letter in support of Mitt Romney. The full text of the letter is below:

ROMNEY WILL RESTORE AMERICA'S SPACE PROGRAM

The U.S. space program is a strategic national asset, which makes critical contributions to our scientific knowledge, technological innovation, economic competitiveness, national security, and international leadership.  We have watched with dismay as President Obama dismantled the structure that was guiding both the government and commercial space sectors, while providing no purpose or vision or mission. This failure of leadership has thrust the space program into disarray and triggered a dangerous erosion of our technical workforce and capabilities. In short, we have a space program unworthy of a great nation.

Restoring the U.S. space program to greatness will require the leadership, management skill, and commitment to American exceptionalism possessed by only one candidate in this race: Mitt Romney. We support Mitt's candidacy and believe that his approach to space policy will produce results instead of empty promises. As his long record of success in both the private and public sectors attests, Mitt will do more than provide our space program with an inspiring vision and mission of exploration.  He will also set aggressive yet achievable goals, adhere to realistic budgets, and execute on a carefully drawn plan. 

As president, Mitt Romney will facilitate close collaboration not only within the government's civil and national security space sectors, but also with the private sector and with research institutions. He will create conditions for a strong and competitive commercial space industry that can contribute greatly to our national capabilities and goals. And he will ensure that NASA returns its focus to the project of manned space exploration that uniquely affirms American strength and values around the globe. Under his leadership, America will once again lead the world in space.

Scott Pace, Chair of the Romney Space Policy Advisory Group

Director, Space Policy Institute, The Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University

Former Assistant Director for Space and Aeronautics, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

Mark Albrecht

Chairman of the Board, USSpace

Former Executive Secretary, National Space Council

Eric Anderson

Chairman and CEO, Space Adventures

Chairman, Commercial Spaceflight Federation

Gene Cernan

Commander, Apollo XVII

Bob Crippen

Pilot, First Space Shuttle Mission

Former Director, NASA Space Shuttle Program

Michael Griffin

Former NASA Administrator

Former Head of the Space Department, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

Peter Marquez

Former Director of Space Policy, National Security Council

Former Director of Special Programs, Department of Defense

William Martel

Associate Professor of International Security Studies, The Fletcher School at Tufts University

Former Alan B. Shepard Chair of Space Technology and Policy Studies, Naval War College

*Organization names are provided for identification purposes only.