Nominee Jared Isaacman’s Statement

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Credit: Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

This is what Mr. Isaacman posted on Twitter/X after being nominated to be the next administrator of NASA:

I am honored to receive President Trump’s…nomination to serve as the next Administrator of NASA. Having been fortunate to see our amazing planet from space, I am passionate about America leading the most incredible adventure in human history.

On my last mission to space, my crew and I traveled farther from Earth than anyone in over half a century. I can confidently say this second space age has only just begun. Space holds unparalleled potential for breakthroughs in manufacturing, biotechnology, mining, and perhaps even pathways to new sources of energy. There will inevitably be a thriving space economy—one that will create opportunities for countless people to live and work in space. At NASA, we will passionately pursue these possibilities and usher in an era where humanity becomes a true spacefaring civilization.

I was born after the Moon landings; my children were born after the final space shuttle launch. With the support of President Trump, I can promise you this: We will never again lose our ability to journey to the stars and never settle for second place. We will inspire children, yours and mine, to look up and dream of what is possible. Americans will walk on the Moon and Mars and in doing so, we will make life better here on Earth.

It is the honor of a lifetime to serve in this role and to work alongside NASA’s extraordinary team to realize our shared dreams of exploration and discovery.

Grateful to serve,

Jared

I find it interesting that his first mention of space accomplishments was his own private flight into orbit rather than the amazing things NASA has already accomplished and plans to do. He also seems to think his space venture brought on the second space age, maybe unaware that the movement towards commercial partnerships started with the Obama administration.

And the statement “Americans will walk on the Moon and Mars” should probably be “Americans will walk on the Moon again and Mars as well.” He admitted that he missed the Moon landing and his kids missed the space shuttle, but let’s treat them like milestones rather than missed opportunities.

I am skeptical that this will be good for NASA, but maybe having a buddy running the agency will give Mr. Musk second thoughts about stripping it down for parts like a Jawa sandcrawler.

Maybe.

Pic of the Week: The Best of 2024

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Odysseus Leaves Earth. (Intuitive Machines)

This week’s image is the best space exploration image winner in The Planetary Society’s Best of 2024 contest. It shows the Odysseus lunar lander, launched on February 15, leaving the Earth behind as it travels to the Moon. You can read more about the lunar mission to the lunar South Pole by visiting this NASA mission page.

Visit The Planetary Society for more on the Best of 2024 winners, including the most exciting upcoming planetary science mission. I won’t spoil the news. You can read about it yourself.

Podcast: Neil deGrasse Tyson in the Hot Seat

Posted on by onespaceman2000

Last week’s Real Time with Bill Maher included an interview with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, which did not go very well given the line of questioning. Mr. Maher was trying to entrap Dr. Tyson into some anti-woke politics, but he did not play along.

With all the topics Dr. Tyson could address on the show, it was a waste of time for viewers to witness this ambush. Mr. Maher continues to forget that he is a comedian and his guests come onto the show to have some fun. You can listen to the mess here.

Fortunately, the Overtime show after the main show, which focuses on questions from the audience, finally addressed some space-related questions, including one about Mr. Musk’s plans to go to Mars. Dr. Tyson said the costs, risks, and return on investment do not currently justify such a mission. However, he pointed out that once it becomes a space race with China then it may be something worth pursuing.

It was an interesting answer, and yet it seemed to ignore that we already have decided as a nation to go to Mars under the Artemis program even with the cost, risks, and lack of return on investment. It has a different time-table than Mr. Musk’s vision, but it is a plan that seems to be in place at the moment.

Maybe Dr. Tyson believes that too will be a space race similar to what it going on now with China regarding a Moon landing. It seems more likely than not at the moment.

Anyway, ignore the main show and tap into the Overtime show for some fun space-related discussions.

Space Quote: A Rolls Royce on the Moon?

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Artist’s rendering of a lunar base. (NASA)

“We believe once governments and the Artemis missions have re-established human presence on the moon, commercial services will follow that…every operation on the moon will require power”.

-Statement by Jake Thompson, director of novel nuclear and special projects at Rolls-Royce, in a Financial Times article. Rolls Royce is working on a micro nuclear reactor for use on space missions.

Sixth Test of the Starship and More

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): The return of the Starship booster on November 19, 2024. It splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico. (SpaceX)

The sixth test of SpaceX’s Starship was a success this past Tuesday, even without the repeated stunt of a tower capturing the booster rocket. The launch from the Starbase pad in Brownsville, Texas allowed SpaceX to test additional features related to the rocket, including igniting one of its Raptor engines while in space. Overall, it was a quick turnaround from another successful test flight last month.

SpaceX also received additional good news this week when it learned that Colorado-based Lunar Outpost selected SpaceX’s Starship as the party to deliver its lunar rover to the Moon. Lunar Outpost is one of several companies working with NASA to ensure a rover is on the lunar surface as part of the Artemis mission. NASA has yet to select one or more companies to build and test the rovers on the Moon.

All of this is good news for SpaceX and NASA, assuming the Starship stays on schedule, NASA funding of Artemis continues, and a new administration in DC continues to support the Artemis approach.