The First Florida Debate

Space policy came up in the first televised debate before next week's Florida presidential primary.

Mitt Romney, noting the economic problems of the Space Coast and arguing President Obama has no space policy, said he would bring together leaders from NASA, the military, universities, and commercial space to develop a goal for the nation that would maintain American leadership in space.

Newt Gingrich took a different tack. He argued for a smaller, leaner NASA and the establishment of huge financial prizes to encourage development of a space industry capable of accomplishing big things, like building a lunar base, or putting people on Mars. He noted such prizes aided the development of air travel.

Neither Rick Santorum nor Ron Paul addressed the issue.