Category Archives: Space

Business, Economics, Political Commentary, Space, Technology and Society

Fixing NASA

28 Comments

Jim Meigs has a long essay at the Manhattan Institute that quotes Yours Truly several times.

[Friday-morning update]

Bob Zimmerman writes that we don’t need no stinkin’ government program to get to the Moon.

Not sure I agree. The race to the poles was all about prestige, and America didn’t need it, but the race to the Moon is about resources, and we don’t want China to be making claims. But I agree that the best policy would be that which encourages private actors, and Isaacman is the ideal NASA administrator to do that.

Business, Economics, Media Criticism, Political Commentary, Science And Society, Social Commentary, Space, Technology and Society

The Proposed “Science Budget Cuts” At NASA

8 Comments

Bob Zimmerman says that there are things deserving of cutting.

I certainly agree about Mars Sample Return, and said that on X this morning. I think we need a dramatic change in how these funds are allocated and prioritized, and the current decadal needs to be completely redone.

But I also don’t pay much attention to what OMB says at this point in the process.

Business, Political Commentary, Space

Today’s Hearing

21 Comments

Haven’t read yet, but here‘s Eric Berger’s take.

Mine?

He has to be confirmed. He shouldn’t have dodged the question about whether Elon was present, though. It needlessly made him look evasive, and he’s not going to get Markey’s vote regardless of how he answered the question. He clearly separated himself from Elon on both the Moon and ISS.

[Update a few minutes later]

Here’s his opening statement:

[Saturday-morning update]

Thoughts from Jim Meigs, who quotes Yours Truly based on a DM exchange on X:

Note the tense. He says he currently believes that. He didn’t say “I do and always will believe” that. That is, he left space to change his mind given new information (such as that I will provide in the upcoming Reason study), without perjuring himself to the Senate.

“Republican senator Jerry Moran of Kansas asked whether Isaacman was fully committed to this plan. ‘This is the current plan,’ Isaacman replied. ‘I do believe it is the best and fastest way to get there.’ Underscoring his support, Isaacman had invited the four Artemis II astronauts to attend the hearing with him.”

It’s hard to believe, and frustrating to realize, on the 64th anniversary of the first man in orbit, that space policy remains such a mess.

[Bumped]

Media Criticism, Political Commentary, Social Commentary, Space, Technology and Society

About The “Rescue” Of The “Stranded” Astronauts

40 Comments

I finally got fed up:

[Saturday-morning update]

Jim Meigs has a similar take to mine.

[Bumped]

Mathematics, Social Commentary, Space, Technology and Society

Crew Or Automated

7 Comments

An interesting thread: