3/1 Poll of the Week: NASA's Vision

This week's poll asked for your evaluation of NASA's new vision statement:"To reach for new heights and reveal the unknown so that what we do and learn will benefit all humankind."  Every couple of years, we go through an introspective and look at where we have been and where we are going.  The culmination of this is the creation of a vision statement.  This statement gives a focus point for our endeavors, and allows for feedback and growth.

Most of the OLC who gave their opinion on the poll liked it.  This resulted in many positive comments on the Discussion Board:

• I like the new vision statement. It is very far-reaching and an incredible mission to be on.

• I really like it. Of course, it involves us being on speaking terms with "all humankind", but that's another goal that must happen. 

• I like it.  It's a broad, far-reaching goal. 

• I love it! To me it says so much about everything that NASA is and what it means. It has the beauty of new discovery in it, and hints at the exploration missions of new worlds that are being planned out now. The only thing I would have added would be "...to benefit humankind forever" because what NASA does now will have such immeasurable impact on the future of humanity. :) 

• I think it is a very positive message, and very encouraging for the future of spaceflight and the study of our universe. 

• I like it. I think it wraps up NASA's goals very well in a sentence.

I did find one dissenting opinion:

• I agree and disagree with it. While it may sound all bright, happy and wonderful, none of it will happen unless NASA's budget is increased, and the chances of that are very slim. NASA's last vision statement to "Return to the moon by 2020" was never fulfilled, and the only remanent of it now is the scaled down orion capsule. Who's to say this statement, which is too broad, won't meet a similar end when the next adimistration takes over in a few years. NASA is at a distinct disadvatage being a government agency versus the emerging private companies becuase congress holds the wallet and pursue strings instead of private investors and companies. While I understand NASA is speeding up their development with COTS funding, they have many other customers. Sadly I believe NASA's glory days of human spaceflight funded by a blank check in the 60's and 70's is over and private companies will begin to fill that void. 

We love to see good, thought out exchanges of opinion on the Discussion Board!  Don't be afraid to disagree, but do it with intelligent repartee, nothing personal.  And it does not end when the poll is over: you can continue to comment as long as you wish.

So what was the best vision statement?  Though it did not originate with NASA, I believe the greatest vision statement was coined years ago by a popular television show: To boldly go where no one has gone before.