The White House has implicitly admitted that it knew about Fast&Furious. So what did the president know, and when did he know it?
Between this, and the enemies list, with the IRS going after conservative donors, I feel like I’ve been transported back to the Nixon administration. Except no one died in Watergate.
Anyway, now that executive privilege has been invoked, it’s going to be pretty hard for the media to ignore the story, as they have been for months.
But is it really a black swan if it is done purposefully? Of course, with this crowd, it’s hard to tell which consequences are intended and which are inadvertent.
So I’m watching the Senate Commerce Committee hearing on commercial space, and seeing Jim Muncy and Laura Montgomery (FAA-AST legal counsel) sitting behind Gerstenmaier as he testifies.
[Update a few minutes later]
Now I’m seeing Alex Saltman of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation over Mike Gold’s left shoulder. And Patti Grace Smith is behind Alex’s left shoulder.
[Update a few minutes later]
Now I see Stu Witt of the Mojave Air and Spaceport off Gerst’s left shoulder.
[Update]
Hearing adjourned. We certainly heard a lot of the usual ignorance from the usual suspects. Nelson didn’t know that NASA science missions are FAA licensed.
I’d guess that all of Obama’s speeches are archived somewhere. Could someone do a search on them and compare the number of times he’s used the phrase “create jobs” compares to the number of times he’s used the phrase “create wealth”? I’m guessing the number of uses of the latter is approximately, or exactly zero. If so, it will be fodder for a rant on his Marxist tendencies. You can guess the theme. In fact, here’s the Twitter version: You can create jobs without creating wealth, but it’s very hard to do the latter.
It isn’t with NASA, or any government. It’s with SpaceX and U.S. private industry. Though it’s amusing that the author actually believes that the SLS will be sending anyone to the moon or asteroids.
For now Andraka is going to continue promoting his breakthrough test, which he says will “completely replace the ELISA test” within a few years. He’d like to explore how to put multiple antibodies on a single test strip to check for a variety of agents in the bloodstream. And what about the rest of high school? Andraka says “hopefully” he will finish North County High School in Glenburnie, Md., but if he does form a company to commercialize the nanotube test strip, he will put high school on hold.
A young man after Peter Thiel’s heart. Some of the most talented people we have have no need for formal schooling. Speaking of which, thoughts on parents who public-school their kids.
NASA and FAA administrators are having a joint press conference. Announcing that FAA will license all flights to ISS, that NASA will be responsible for crew safety for flights with NASA crew, NASA will not be involved in non-NASA flights. Irene Klotz asking why two separate sets of requirements. Bolden says that Phil McAlister may elaborate, but he anticipates that there will be human flights not NASA flights, and NASA would have no involvement. Huerta noting that requirements will be same for both NASA and non-NASA flights (not clear if he’s referring to safety or protecting public). Bolden trying to clarify in response to question from Keith Cowing, McAlister says that non-NASA missions will have no NASA involvement, and FAA will regulate only for public safety until 2015. Alan Boyle: is the MOA going to be published so we can see? How will it work for non-crew flights? New role for FAA for cargo resupply? Answer: MOU link is in press release. Nield: MOU oriented toward commercial spaceflight, cargo already licensed by FAA. For non-NASA missions, will it be like Everest, or will FAA have safety standards? Huerta reiterating all of the FAA responsibility, that do not include crew safety. FAA participation in crew selection? Current regulatory authority only over launch and entry at least until 2015. How many companies selected in CC down select (Bolden said earlier announcement in mid-July)? Two and a half, per recent agreement with Congress. Take them through 21-month process, full funders all the way, half funded as best they could. Following that, an RFP under the FAR under which any company can bid.