Nuclear propulsion a priority at NASA, says administrator.

• Author: Book, Elizabeth G.
• Position: Brief Article

Technologies for power generation and next-generation propulsion systems will move to the forefront at the National Aeronautical and Space Administration, said the agency's top official.

Advanced propulsion systems are critical to meeting NASA'S long-term science and technology goals, said Sean O'Keefe, who has been NASA'S administrator since December. "Just to get to the edges of our own solar system, it would take the effort of roughly 10 to a dozen years, even if we hit the gates just right," O'Keefe told a conference of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. "With the laws of physics, we are restricted at this juncture. We are restricted by our current power capabilities.

"We want to emphasize power generation and propulsion systems through the use of nuclear power," he said. "Over the next several years, we've dedicated up to a billion dollars to developing nuclear power and propulsion systems.

One top priority today for the O'Keefe's administration is to restore the credibility of NASA, which has suffered in recent years a string of high-profile technical failures and cost overruns in the International Space Station. O'Keefe is spearheading an "effort to restore our credibility, not only with the Congress, but the American public, in terms of delivering on our capacity to do what we say we're going to do," he said.

Before being appointed NASA administrator, O'Keefe was deputy director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. During the first Bush administration, he served as both Defense Department comptroller and Secretary of the Navy.

O'Keefe has a reputation for promoting efficiency and cost cutting. The Bush administration, under pressure from Congress, brought O'Keefe to NASA, expecting that he could streamline the agency's management practices. His predecessor, Dan Goldin, was considered a visionary leader who deeply cared about space research and technological advancement, but some lawmakers charged that Goldin had failed to keep budgets in line.

O'Keefe recognized that NASA has a credibility gap, but he stopped short of criticizing his predecessor. Instead, he highlighted the value of current NASA programs that he believes will help the $14 billion agency get back on track.

O'Keefe said he wants NASA to make investments in new technologies in the aeronautics field. He stressed that NASA will continue to pursue partnerships with the aerospace industry and universities. He asserted that NASA has a...