One of the biggest impediments to reform was @senbillnelson , the former #US senator from #Florida who represented #KennedySpaceCenter and now runs #NASA https://www.politico.com/news/2022/06/21/get-your-boy-elon-in-line-nasa-tell-all-recounts-turmoil-over-private-space-race-00041085
(The same guy who now wonders whether #China 🇨🇳 might be faster on the #Moon 🤦♂️)
@senbillnelson 's outsized influence on #NASA over four decades is undisputed, but some of us in the #SpaceCommunity are concerned this may not be a feature 👎. Senator #Nelson’s imprint on the #SpaceProgram has led to grand pronouncements based on #unrealistic industry estimates, multibillion-dollar 💰 #cost overruns, years of schedule #delays and unmet expectations 😠 https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bill-nelson-isnt-the-best-choice-for-nasa-administrator/
Bill Nelson claimed in his opening statement to have always supported commercial space. Nelson was not always as enthusiastic about commercial #spaceflight. In 2010 the then-senator proposed zeroing 0️⃣ out the commercial crew program https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/550148-bill-nelson-is-a-born-again-supporter-of-commercial-space-at-nasa/
Mr. #Isaacman would replace the current administrator, #BillNelson https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/04/science/jared-isaacman-trump-nasa.html
It is not easy to turn a big #bureaucracy, and there will undoubtedly be friction and pain points. But the opportunity here is enticing: #NASA should not be competing with things that private industry is already doing better, such as launching big rockets. Rather, it should find difficult research and development projects at the edge of the possible. https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/12/how-did-the-ceo-of-an-online-payments-firm-become-the-nominee-to-lead-nasa
Long term goal, making the moon America's Australia, except not for criminals but just those undesirable to the regime.
Prof Logsdon* expects big changes under #Trump, Mr #Musk and Mr #Isaacman: scrapping programmes, closing NASA centres and more contracting out to #SpaceX, #BlueOrigin and other private sector firms. "There is a delicate balance between the interests of #NASA, #Congress and the #WhiteHouse."
Mr Isaacman has called the #SLS "outrageously expensive" and said that the major aerospace contractors are "incentivised to be economically #inefficient". https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn93797z2dpo
#SpaceX has developed two heavy lift rockets in the last decade, and #BlueOrigin just launched #NewGlenn. Each of these rockets is at least partially reusable ♻️ and flies at less than one-tenth 💵 the cost of the #SLS rocket 💰 https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/02/boeing-has-informed-its-employees-that-nasa-may-cancel-sls-contracts
"Both contractors are already required to validate reusable heavy-lift launch capabilities—technologies essential for transporting mass beyond #LEO, whether toward the #Moon 🌙 or #Mars 🔴". The vote was 19–9 https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/04/after-his-support-for-artemis-senate-committee-advances-isaacman-nomination
#Isaacman #NASA #Artemis #SpaceX #BlueOrigin #SpaceLogistics
@bgrinter @cinebox @spaceflight
Hey, I'm no fan of the Mars Nazi, but that is unfair. The 60's moon program had a whole nation, a lot of money and recklessness behind it.
SLS is the epitome of Pork Barrel development. Too expensive, too direction-less, too everything.
We aren't left with a lot of options, between a zombie rocket managed-by-committee program and fucking Moon Nazi rocket I don't know what to do. Go the French for another managed-by-fractal-hierarchy-management rocket?
@Madagascar_Sky @cinebox @spaceflight SLS’s problem is the political interference
You must reuse shuttle engines
You must spread construction over so many states
We’re going to drip feed funding etc
That it managed a successful launch despite all that is testament
Oh and not one Saturn V blew up…
@bgrinter @cinebox @spaceflight
Yes, but that is the rocket now. That is what it is.
No, but Starship IS going with the move fast break things approach. I will not defend or argue the merits of this approach.
But, I don't know how much of a reassurance this is, but New Glenn had a flight and the chinese are already working on their own version of Falcon 9.
@Madagascar_Sky @cinebox @spaceflight how efficient is it when you’re going to need nearly 20 launches to support each lunar mission
https://spacenews.com/starship-lunar-lander-missions-to-require-nearly-20-launches-nasa-says/
@bgrinter @cinebox @spaceflight
Yeah, that is a drawback of the Starship system in this configuration and scenario.
@Madagascar_Sky @cinebox @spaceflight especially as it was sold to NASA needing 4.
8 tops…
📆 May 02, 2025
• Increased commitment to human 👨🚀 space exploration, introducing $1 billion in new investments for #Mars 🔴-focused programs.
• The #SLS rocket and #Orion capsule will be retired after #Artemis III. The budget also ends the #Gateway Program 💀
• #ISS replacement in 📆 2030
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/president-trumps-fy26-budget-revitalizes-human-space-exploration
The #Mars 🔴 Sample Return mission will be achieved by #human 👩🚀 missions to Mars. "Crew and cargo flights to the #ISS would be significantly reduced 📉. The station’s reduced research capacity would be focused on efforts critical to the #Moon and Mars exploration programs." https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/05/white-house-budget-seeks-to-end-sls-orion-and-lunar-gateway-programs
Spaceflight 🚀
Maddad ☑️
Richard W. Woodley ELBOWS UP 🇨🇦🌹🚴♂️📷 🗺️
Andrew
Brian Grinter
Madagascar_Sky
