Six internal emails were leaked this week that share statements from United Launch Alliance Vice President Robbie Sabathier to a lobbyist about NASA’s “incompetent” leaders and favoritism towards SpaceX.
The emails leaked from the ULA employee also contain wild speculation that contracts awarded to SpaceX by NASA were tied to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s inferred support for former President Trump.
Republican Congressman from Oklahoma turned NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine has already found his next gig after resigning from the space agency to make way for the next NASA leader.
The United States has a new President, and NASA has a new top boss. NASA’s Associate Administrator has been elevated to the position of Acting Administrator following the resignation of Jim Bridenstine.
The Office of Inspector General has published a 52-page report that lays out seven critical challenges pressing NASA in 2020. From cybersecurity risks to outdated infrastructure, the OIG report describes top management and performance opportunities. Also included is a four-page response from the current NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine.
On the heels of a successful arrival and docking of SpaceX’s Crew 1 mission to the International Space Station, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine and associate administrator of the Human Exploration Mission Directorate Kathy Lueders spoke at the ASCEND industry conference about what they think the future of low-Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars will be like.
Sending the first woman and next man to the Moon isn’t the only lunar goal NASA has for 2024. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced today that the space agency is seeking a commercial company capable of collecting moon rocks for NASA to purchase.
The interesting twist is that the company or companies awarded contracts won’t be required to bring the Moon rocks back to Earth. The objective is simply to demonstrate commerce on the Moon as a concept toward building a sustainable presence on the lunar surface and beyond.
Update July 23: Variety reports new details including a $200 million budget, the use of SpaceX’s Dragon Crew capsule, and Universal expected to back the film. Original story from May below:
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine is one name among many space industry heavy hitters that will be present at the inaugural ASCEND space economy event in Las Vegas, Nevada, later this year.
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and Vice President Mike Pence are speaking to NASA employees at Langley Research Center about National Space Council Directives, Artemis, and more.
