Why NASA Will Fail Again

An outstanding five-minute read on why NASA will again fail to meet expectations.  The article is by Rand Simberg writing for Popular Mechanics. What’s so great about the story? First, it provides some useful back-story on NASA’s sorry state of affairs. Next, it highlights the importance of the administration working with the Congress, especially regarding [...]

Buzz Aldrin’s Way Ahead

Former astronaut Buzz Aldrin supports many of the principles the administration has called for regarding NASA and he’s given some thought on how to move the nation forward in space. Mr. Aldrin identifies a number of important ideas, but IMHO the three most important goals he calls for include 1) an increased presence and use [...]

Senate Authorizers Move NASA Away From Commercial Space

Senate authorizers have taken the administration’s etch-a-sketch for NASA, turned it upside down, and shaken (not stirred) violently. Granted it’s only an authorization bill and it hasn’t been sent to the full Senate, reconciled, or signed into law.  However…it will have legs. The biggest deal in the near-years is it halves the Obama request for [...]

Was Bolden Thrown Under The Space Bus For His NASA ‘Muslim Outreach’ Comment?

The NASA Administrator drawing fire for his statement regarding the importance of NASA’s ‘mission of Muslim outreach’ has been circulating for several weeks. But based on this link, the administration has known about/embraced the outreach mission for some time even though that ‘mission’ was rebuked by the White House Press Secretary just this week. Similarly, [...]

White House Denies NASA Administrator’s Claim

When NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said (possible) directive number one from the President was to “find a way to reach out to the Muslim world and engage much more with dominantly Muslim nations to help them feel good about their historic contribution to science, math and engineering” he probably had little feel for the space-storm his [...]

The Best Blog Entry Evah?

John Logsdon, writing at Space News, has a profound and truly excellent guest blog.  The crux: Apollo was great, but can we put it behind us? Among the highlights: The administration’s incoherent defense of NASA’s current vision…whatever it is.  You could go on to say this has been exasperated most recently by the Administrator’s comments [...]

It’s Not Quite Dead Yet

As Blue Oyster Cult has taught us, seasons don’t fear the reaper.  Nor, it would appear, does the space shuttle or government programs in general.  Can a thing be undead? I’m shocked, shocked to learn that the shuttle is being extended into Fy11. Read all about it from the stud-muffins at Spaceflight Now.

NASA In The Wringer

The House Science and Technology Committee is not happy with NASA’s to-date ability to explain and defend their FY2011 budget request. Because the Committee hasn’t gotten what they’ve asked for, they’ve asked somewhat more forcefully–by directing the NASA administrator to deliver the documents used to prepare the FY11 budget. Not good for NASA. NASA is [...]

Return-To-Moon Not Quite Dead Yet

NASA’s prior work to return Americans to the moon isn’t dead yet, but we may want to get a priest. The big remaining issue will be about funding for contract termination, which I predict will be paid for by NASA.  And that’s not a very bold prediction. Termination costs are why no contractor in their [...]

NASA Finds New Criticism and Skepticism Before Congress

There is a reason Congress is incredulous.  It’s because the disconnect between what the President says NASA is going to do and what the President’s FY2011 budget funds is a yawning chasm. There’s some sort of ‘watch what we fund and not what we say’ lesson here. Still, I feel commercial manned space is the [...]