The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, which oversees NASA’s programs, may have a chance to get some things done this year. Earlier in the week, New York Congressman George Santos stepped down from the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology as well as the House Committee on Small Business. With all of the problems following this man, his presence on either committee would have been a pure distraction.
The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology has a broad jurisdiction beyond just NASA:
The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology has jurisdiction over all energy research, development, and demonstration, and projects thereof and all federally owned or operated non-military energy laboratories; astronautical research and development, including resources, personnel, equipment, and facilities; civil aviation research and development; environmental research and development; marine research; commercial application of energy technology; National Institute of Standards and Technology, standardization of weights and measures and the metric system; National Aeronautics and Space Administration; National Science Foundation; National Weather Service; outer space, including exploration and control thereof; science scholarships; scientific research, development, and demonstration, and projects therefor. The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology shall review and study, on a continuing basis, laws, programs, and Government activities relating to non-military research and development.
Given the Artemis program as well as the other NASA endeavors currently underway, the Committee should be focusing as much time as possible on space missions rather than bogus resumes and lies to the public.
NASA-related hearings from last year include:
- March 1, 2022: Keeping Our Sights on Mars Part 3: A Status Update and Review of NASA’s Artemis Initiative
- May 12, 2022: Space Situational Awareness: Guiding the Transition to a Civil Capability
- May 26, 2022: A Review of the Decadal Strategy for Planetary Science and Astrobiology 2023-2032
- July 28, 2022: Exploring Cyber Space: Cybersecurity for Civil and Commercial Space Systems
- November 16, 2022: Unfolding the Universe: Initial Science Results from the James Webb Space Telescope
We need a serious Congress if we are going to conduct serious science and space exploration. Let’s hope Washington DC can keep its focus on the real stars (rather than the political black holes that can suck in all light and common sense).
Our Awesome Universe 