Will the Space Program Come Down to Earth?

Making News

Volcanic Eruption in Iceland Closes Airports in Northwest Europe ()

Airports in Britain, Scandinavia and other parts of northwestern Europe are shut down today and thousands of flights have been cancelled. It's all because of a cloud of ash that's moving toward continental Europe from the erupting Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland. We hear how the eruption has grounded air traffic from David Brown, who reports for the Times of London, and Peter Markovski, deputy news editor at Norway's Aftenposten.

Guests:

• David Brown: Reporter, Times of London
• Peter Markovski: Deputy News Editor, Aftenposten

Main Topic

Obama's Vision for US Space Exploration ()

George W. Bush cancelled the Space Shuttle program. Now Barack Obama wants to cancel Bush's plan for going back to the Moon, at least for the moment. That's provoked a battle over the budget for NASA featuring a public relations blitz by heroes of space exploration 40 years ago, who warn that the cancellation means an end to America's domination of space exploration. Some members of both political parties agree. But supporters say the President's budget has been the victim of lousy public relations. In Florida today, he outlined a plan to explore new worlds with new, privately developed technology, with the ultimate goal of getting humans to Mars. Can space entrepreneurs do it cheaper and faster than government scientists and engineers? What about jobs in California, Texas, Alabama and Florida?

Guests:

• Robert Block: NASA Reporter, Orlando Sentinel
• Jeff Greason: President, XCOR Aerospace
• Scott Pace: Director, George Washington University's Space Policy Institute
• Jonathan McDowell: Astronomer, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, @planet4589

Links:

• Review of Human Space Flight Plans (Augustine Panel)
• NASA's Constellation mission
• International Space Station
• Block's article on President Obama's NASA vision

Reporter's Notebook

Record Number of Americans Will Pay No Income Tax ()

On this day when federal income taxes are due, the Tea Party Patriots have organized some 600 protests all over the country. Participants might be surprised to learn that a record number of people won't pay income taxes at all.  While nearly 142 million Americans will file tax returns this year, a record number will get back every dollar that's been withheld by the federal government. That's according to the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan research group in Washington. Scott Hodge is President.

Guests:

• Scott Hodge: President, Tax Foundation

Links:

• Hodge's (CNN) article on why more Americans pay no income tax
• New York Times Poll on the demographics of Tea Party supporters