NASA « Space Politics

Lane on his report and the NASA administrator search

By Jeff Foust on 2009 February 19 at 12:06 pm ET

Last week I noted here the mixed reception from former astronauts to a the recent policy paper by George Abbey and Neal Lane, one that proposed foregoing a return to the Moon in favor of more of an emphasis on energy and environment research, as well as long-term planning for missions to near Earth objects. […]

NASA administrator delay and the battle for the Ares 1

By Jeff Foust on 2009 February 17 at 7:29 am ET

Today’s Houston Chronicle offers a possible explanation regarding why it’s taken the Obama Administration so long to select a new NASA administrator: a battle among businesses and politicians for the future of the Ares 1. On one side are supporters of the Ares 1, including ATK, Boeing, and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, as well as […]

NASA funding details in final version of stimulus bill

By Jeff Foust on 2009 February 13 at 8:05 am ET

Late last night the House Rules Committee published the text of the version of HR 1, the stimulus bill, that emerged from the House-Senate conference this week. The best place to look for details is the “Joint Explanatory Statement”, which includes both the funding amounts for NASA and how the money is to be used […]

And then there were four

By Jeff Foust on 2009 February 11 at 9:52 pm ET

Members of Florida’s Congressional delegation who met with President Obama during his trip to the state to help sell the stimulus package tell the Orlando Sentinel and Florida Today that the president has narrowed down his list of candidates to be the next NASA administrator. The Sentinel says that Obama is down to four names, […]

Stimulus compromise: $1 billion for NASA?

By Jeff Foust on 2009 February 11 at 9:38 pm ET

That’s what the Orlando Sentinel is reporting this evening, based on a message from an aide to Sen. Bill Nelson. Of that $1 billion, $400 million would go to exploration, only slightly less than what the Senate approved earlier this week (and a major victory for spaceflight supporters given the House version contained nothing.) The […]

House loyalties

By Jeff Foust on 2009 February 10 at 9:15 pm ET

With the Senate approving today its version of the stimulus bill, featuring $1.3 billion for NASA, more than double what the House version of the bill provides, you’d think Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas (D-FL), whose district includes NASA/KSC, would be pleased. And she is, but only up to a point, the Orlando Sentinel reports. “I am […]

NASA stimulus funding update

By Jeff Foust on 2009 February 9 at 10:21 pm ET

As Space News [subscription required] noted late today, there’s a slight tweak in the compromise stimulus package in the Senate. While the topline figure remains the same as the previous compromise version, $1.3 billion, the $200 million cut from the original bill has since been distributed evenly across science, aeronautics, human spaceflight, and NASA facility […]

From the mouths of astronauts

By Jeff Foust on 2009 February 9 at 1:01 pm ET

Last week the Baker Institute in Houston issued a report on space policy recommendations for the Obama Administration. Since two of the lead authors were George Abbey and Neal Lane, the conclusions they suggested should not be surprising for those who have followed their previous work: extend the shuttle to continue support of the ISS, […]

NASA funding (mostly) survives Senate stimulus compromise

By Jeff Foust on 2009 February 7 at 11:36 am ET

Late Friday evening the office of Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), who had been working to trim some spending from the Senate’s economic stimulus bill, released a statement with details on a compromise he and other senators reached on spending cuts. The $1.5 billion for NASA that Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) advocated, including $500 million to […]

Political tensions and the search for a new NASA administrator

By Jeff Foust on 2009 February 7 at 11:11 am ET

An article by Andy Pasztor in today’s Wall Street Journal (one that does not appear to require a subscription) reports that retired general Lester Lyles is under consideration to be NASA administrator by the Obama administration. That Lyles is being considered isn’t necessarily new—NASA Watch reported the rumors about Lyles over a week ago—but the […]

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