Jim Bridenstine has been nominated for NASA administrator

[insert_name]

There is a high probability that Trump will nominate Oklahoma representative Jim Bridenstine as NASA administrator

https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/08/nasa-may-finally-be-getting-a-leader-oklahoma-pilot-jim-bridenstine/

Edited September 2, 2017 by insert_name
Updated title

[Just Jim]

I just read it... interesting. I'm not terribly familiar with Mr. Bridenstine, but I really liked this quote:

"From the discovery of water ice on the Moon until this day, the American objective should have been a permanent outpost of rovers and machines at the poles with occasional manned missions for science and maintenance," Bridenstine wrote. "The purpose of such an outpost should have been to utilize the materials and energy of the Moon to drive down the costs and increase the capabilities of cis-lunar space."

Edited August 16, 2017 by Just Jim

[kerbiloid]

Is he going to gather all lunar water and sell?

Spoiler

Enough pointless joyride.

Make profit.

 

[YNM]

1 hour ago, kerbiloid said:

Is he going to gather all lunar water and sell?

  Reveal hidden contents

Enough pointless joyride.

Make profit.

 

Probably Titan refinery or Martian steelworks.

Also Outer Space Treaty sign-out.

Elimination of Planetary Protection Officer.

Alright, enough. I don't know.

Edited August 16, 2017 by YNM

[Nibb31]

.

Edited August 16, 2017 by Nibb31

[DerekL1963]

6 hours ago, Just Jim said:

I just read it... interesting. I'm not terribly familiar with Mr. Bridenstine, but I really liked this quote:

"From the discovery of water ice on the Moon until this day, the American objective should have been a permanent outpost of rovers and machines at the poles with occasional manned missions for science and maintenance," Bridenstine wrote. "The purpose of such an outpost should have been to utilize the materials and energy of the Moon to drive down the costs and increase the capabilities of cis-lunar space."

He can say whatever he wants.  He can only do what Congress budgets for.  Unless the Administration successfully uses it's influence and/or space suddenly gains a constituency...  nothing is going to change.

[insert_name]

And it's been confirmed by the white house.

http://spacenews.com/white-house-soon-to-nominate-bridenstine-as-nasa-administrator/

[tater]

It's nice that he doesn't have a pet facility from his district.

[DerekL1963]

Doesn't much matter that he doesn't.  Plenty of other congress critters do.

[Nibb31]

He's also a politician without any scientific or engineering background, and is even a climate change denier. I really can't understand how you can efficiently run a science and engineering administration when you "don't believe" in science and don't know how it works.

Edited September 3, 2017 by Nibb31

[mikegarrison]

57 minutes ago, Nibb31 said:

He's even a climate change denier.

That's probably the point. Expect to see budget cuts proposed in the unmanned Earth sciences programs. Goes along with the comments about more manned exploration.

[tater]

The NASA director doesn't decide what the NASA budget is for, Congress does.

[wumpus]

1 hour ago, tater said:

The NASA director doesn't decide what the NASA budget is for, Congress does.

Presumably he asks for stuff and Congress funds the SLS.  I wouldn't be surprised if plenty of agencies have conduits between the GS-whatevers (hired during the Apollo program buildup in NASA's case) and congressional staffers.  That's pretty much were all the real action happens in both cases.

- at NASA the work gets done by contractors, but they officially can't make decisions (but are often rubber stamped by GS types).  The Federal Government moved from GS-workers to contractors ages back (a friend has worked that way at NASA since the 1980s), and increased things under the second Bush.  Looking at the just when the NASA budget really increased gives a good idea when they  were hiring people.  Expect some old, cranky, and set in their ways administrators not caring much about directors (for pretty much everybody this century).

[LordFerret]

On 8/16/2017 at 1:38 AM, YNM said:

...

Elimination of Planetary Protection Officer.

...

Not a bad idea.

 

So where's the mod stepping in declaring no political discussion?

[DerekL1963]

1 hour ago, wumpus said:

Presumably he asks for stuff and Congress funds the SLS.

Yes, the Administrator asks for stuff, that doesn't mean that Congress funds what he asks for or at the level he asks for (it may be higher or lower).  Also Congress can (and does) fund stuff that nobody asked for.  Congress can also pass acts that compel an element of the Executive Branch to do something, which Congress may then fund or not fund.

SLS is an example of the latter two.

[tater]

14 hours ago, Nibb31 said:

He's also a politician without any scientific or engineering background, and is even a climate change denier. I really can't understand how you can efficiently run a science and engineering administration when you "don't believe" in science and don't know how it works.

You mean like James Webb?

Probably shouldn't name a space telescope after a lawyer then, huh?

[mikegarrison]

1 hour ago, tater said:

You mean like James Webb?

Probably shouldn't name a space telescope after a lawyer then, huh?

Remember when the US Navy stopped naming submarines after fish? The quote at the time was "fish don't vote". Naming space probes after politicians is a good way to get them to support your space probe.

[Just Jim]

4 minutes ago, mikegarrison said:

Remember when the US Navy stopped naming submarines after fish? The quote at the time was "fish don't vote". Naming space probes after politicians is a good way to get them to support your space probe.

As weird as it first sounds.... most politicians have HUGE egos.... So yeah... IMO... If politicians are the ones signing the check, then this is a pretty good idea. 

[tater]

I wish we still used Fleet Boat names... Archerfish, Gato, Growler...

[Nibb31]

6 hours ago, tater said:

You mean like James Webb?

Probably shouldn't name a space telescope after a lawyer then, huh?

Even though he wasn't a scientist, I think that Webb was wise enough to accept scientific research as what it is.

[LordFerret]

13 hours ago, Just Jim said:

As weird as it first sounds.... most politicians have HUGE egos.... So yeah... IMO... If politicians are the ones signing the check, then this is a pretty good idea. 

Reminds me of 2010, the movie, where it's noted (and point made) that the Leonov was originally slated to be named the Titov... people and things fall in and out of favor.

[tater]

15 hours ago, Nibb31 said:

Even though he wasn't a scientist, I think that Webb was wise enough to accept scientific research as what it is.

I don't presume to read the minds of dead people. Just saying.

The point is that there is no reason why an Administrator needs to be a science person, or even an astronaut. The job is management, and frankly politics. Most of the science people I know would suck at both of those, they'd rather be in their labs, the management/political side is basically like trying to get grants, only worse.