The latest, after last week’s space-policy turmoil.
I think that Bridenstine (and Scott Pace) feel compelled to publicly support it, in the hope of maintaining Congressional support for NASA budgets in general, but I’m not sure it’s a great strategy.
Bob Zimmerman writes that it won’t happen without cutting the pork.
In other words, it won’t happen.
(Friday-afternoon update)
Tweet from @realDonaldTrump: “For all of the money we are spending, NASA should NOT be talking about going to the Moon – We did that 50 years ago. They should be focused on the much bigger things we are doing, including Mars (of which the Moon is a part), Defense and Science!”
No comment, but there’s a lot of response on Twitter.
There is a new report out from the Reason Foundation, by Jeff Greason and James Bennett, on how it needs to be rethought and reorganized. I haven’t read it yet, but I expect it to be good (I saw Jeff today at the Space Settlement Forum, where I gave a talk on space property rights).
The IG has released its report. Bob Zimmerman is (as usual) unimpressed with our betters in Washington.
Culberson losing his seat may have been the death knell for this mission, at least as it has been planned so far. I think Enceladus is more interesting, anyway, at least from the standpoint of looking for life. I hope that Yuri Milner follows through on that.