The long awaited 2011 edition of Futron's Space Competitiveness Index has just been released, and it does not offer good news about the U.S. space program.

While the U.S. remains in the top ranking among the 10 top leading spacefaring nations, we are losing ground to our competition. One of the prime reasons is our lackluster space policy and demise of a viable and logical approach to human space flight and exploration.

Our space leaders lack innovation, determination and direction.

The space program has become one of the discretionary "whipping boys" of the current federal budget fiasco. It is a soft target for politicians who refuse to address the bigger issue of out-of-control entitlement programs.

Futron's space competitive list includes Europe, Russia, China, Japan, India, Canada, South Korea, Israel and Brazil. Fifty metrics were examined in developing the rankings. Three important indicators dealt with government commitment, human capital and industrial base.

Only the U.S. has experienced four consecutive years of competitiveness declines. But, Russia, China and Japan have improved dramatically since 2008. Futron also found that cooperative space programs tend to intensify competition.

More importantly, global space activity drives a substantial economic engine as well as fostering national pride and advancements in science and exploration.

The U.S. economic engine is sputtering. One has to ask: Where is our national pride and leading advances in science and technology going? The answer appears to be: Nowhere.