Centennial Challenges: another voice

Given that another post generated a vigorous discussion about funding for NASA’s Centennial Chalelnges program, I thought I would pass along a message that Rick Tumlinson of the Space Frontier Foundation sent me yesterday. He makes the case that the space advocacy community, particularly the pro-entrepreneurial elements of it, need to do more to ensure […]

Putting NASA on notice

The change in control of Congress compels Florida Today to warn NASA that it has to stick to its budget if the Vision for Space Exploration is to survive. Otherwise, the paper warns, the agency risks “losing support in the new Congress where Democrats, and many Republicans, will not tolerate cost overruns.” The editorial doesn’t […]

Still more post-election analysis

This week’s issue of Space News has the most thorough analysis of the effect the Democratic takeover of Congress will have on NASA. In general, NASA won’t face significant changes, but the article does go through some interesting details. For example, Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV), expected to become chair of the appropriations subcommittee with oversight […]

Space policy and space weapons

In this week’s issue of The Space Review Dwayne Day provides a thorough critique of new national space policy and some of the media attention it received. He notes that “in terms of actual policy positions, the 2006 National Space Policy is not fundamentally different from the 1996 Clinton-era policy that it replaced. Equally worth […]

More on the election aftermath

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune published an article this weekend on the new power wielded by Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) now that Democrats have taken control of the Senate. Besides being in line to chair the space subcommittee of the Senate Commerce Committee, Nelson is also expected to take over the strategic forces subcommittee of the Senate […]

As the House goes, so goes the Senate

With the concessions yesterday by George Allen and Conrad Burns, the Democrats (and the two independents who will caucus with them) have won a majority in the Senate. That means a shift in seating charts and committee assignments, but not necessarily much else. Sen Bill Nelson (D-FL) will now likely chair the space subcommittee of […]

Some other reactions to the election, Congress, and space

The Huntsville Times reassures its readers that they shouldn’t expect “mass layoffs in key Huntsville defense and space programs” because of the Democratic takeover of the House (and maybe the Senate), although NASA programs could come under new scrutiny. Huntsville-area Rep. Bud Cramer, a Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee subcommittee with oversight of NASA, […]

Ch-ch-ch-changes

So what effect with the Democratic takeover of the House have on space issues? While there will be widespread changes in leadership, staffing, and the like, the effects on policy are less certain. Bart Gordon (D-TN) is in line to become the next House Science Committee chairman, and Mark Udall (D-CO) the chairman of the […]

Lampson wins; other results

Democrat Nick Lampson is returning to the House after declaring victory in the race for the 22nd District in Texas late Tuesday night Lampson got 52% of the vote, beating out Republican write-in candidate Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, who got 42%. Sekula-Gibbs will also be going to Congress, albeit briefly: she won the special election the same […]

House race updates

With projections showing that Democrats, as widely anticipated, taking control of the House, some highlights from races of interest:

Texas 22 remains too close to call, although Democrat Nick Lampson has a 10-point (9,000-vote) lead over Shelley Sekula-Gibbs with two-thirds of the precincts reporting.

In Florida, Rep. Dave Weldon (R) defeated Robert Bowman by 12 […]