Former NASA Advisory Council Chair Jack Schmitt Quits Planetary Society Over New Roadmap

STATUS REPORT Date Released: Monday, November 17, 2008 Source: SpaceRef Interactive, Inc. - Comments

Editor's note: The following email was sent to various members of the media and has been making the rounds.

From: Harrison H. Schmitt To: tps@... Cc: [multiple members of the media] Sent: Fri Nov 14 14:18:13 2008 Subject: Resignation from Society

Dear Lou, Jim and Scott

I am sorry, but I can no longer support the society in its goals as they seem to have gone back to being more political than rational. I want humankind on Mars more than most, but I, at least, feel obligated to look at this goal rationally. Specifically, relative to your bullet points:

TPS Statement * focusing on Mars as the driving goal of human spaceflight

---Having been deeply involved in this issue for many years, and having led several objective studies related to it, it is clear to me, and many other knowledgeable people, that returning to the Moon is the fastest and most cost effective path to Mars for the following reasons:

More at MarsSocietySanDiego