Space Politics

The Heritage Foundation, in an online memo criticizing Senate plans to add $32 billion in “emergency” funding to FY2007 budget bills, makes mention of efforts to increase NASA’s budget by $1 billion through such a mechanism. The problem, Heritage’s Brian Riedl believes, is rooted in Congressmen’s tendencies to attach earmarks to NASA budgets. “Had Congress […]

The successful landing this morning of the space shuttle Atlantis prompted a congratulatory press release from Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert. The first sentence of his statement: “Once again the American space program has forged new heights in space exploration through its commitment to diligence, innovation, and entrepreneurship.” Diligence? Most definitely, to assure the […]

The Democratic Party primary in Florida’s 15th Congressional District (which includes Cape Canaveral and much of Florida’s “Space Coast”) earlier this week pitted two political neophytes: Robert Bowman and John Kennedy. Bowman won the primary by a final count of about 55-45%, and will now face incumbent Republican Rep. Dave Weldon in the November general […]

Today is the last day on the Hill for Bill Adkins, the staff director of the space and aeronautics subcommittee of the House Science Committee. Adkins is leaving to set up his own space and defense consulting business. We wish him the best of luck in his new venture.

The reaction to yesterday’s announcement that Lockheed Martin will build the Orion (née CEV) spacecraft for NASA was fairly muted and broadly supportive of the selection. Some highlights:

Sen Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) issued a press release congratulating Lockheed Martin for winning Orion. Not surprisingly, she brought up the issue of the “gap” between the […]