Send all SLS supporters to space on the last SLS launch.

Prove that y’all truly believe in the project’s efficacy.

Not holding my breath. Where’s my asthma inhaler?

All: I just posted a detailed report of today’s NASA press conference on Artemis, SLS, and Orion. Comments there are welcome.

Just saw this from Eric Berger:

“Multiple sources have told Ars that the SLS rocket—which has long had staunch backing from Congress—is now on the chopping block. No final decisions have been made, but a tentative deal is in place with lawmakers to end the rocket in exchange for moving US Space Command to Huntsville, Alabama.”

As a political jujitsu move, I have to say, this is rather awe-inspiring.

This also, you will notice, rewards a deep red state and punishes a blue state (Colorado). The sort of SLS-replacing commercial solutions keep most of the major contractors in the game, as Eric notes — save for Boeing, which has no part to play in any successor architecture.

I’m not sure Richard Shelby would have considered it sufficient, but Shelby’s gone, Britt does not have quite his pull, and Trump frankly has more power over congressional Repuiblicans than he did in 2017-21.

Berger in the comment box emphasizes that this is not yet a done deal. But I think it looks like it *could* work, if they keep at it.

“Multiple sources have told Ars that the SLS rocket—which has long had staunch backing from Congress—is now on the chopping block. No final decisions have been made, but a tentative deal is in place with lawmakers to end the rocket in exchange for moving US Space Command to Huntsville, Alabama.”

https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/12/how-did-the-ceo-of-an-online-payments-firm-become-the-nominee-to-lead-nasa/

That would be a very good way to entirely stop any progress. Unless NASA gets an Augean cleaning first. The Mississippi has enough water, but likely doesn’t flow fast enough.

You would need to fire most NASA staff (pretty much anyone who’s worked there for more than a year), and remove and replace the regulatory framework under which it works.

When I started following SpaceX launches I would go here to read comments to learn more about what I was watching (had been away for a long time due to work load but retired now). Didn’t take long to realize MDS is as real as TDS.

Took awhile but I happened to have a screenshot (frequently take to use with my puzzle app) of the lost booster as it touched down. Since there were lots of comments, I joined up then explained and posted the picture since it showed the engines didn’t go to 0 on landing like all previous ones. Made a few other comments on other posts but mostly stuck to reading for information and ideas.

Then Berger recently posted a story with comments about Trump and Musk (Sorry I bought his books too long ago to return but never again.) The MDS insanity was so bad I finally went on and made a comment about the total waste of time the site was becoming with the childish whining about the person that was driving the vast majority of what was happening with space and I would start looking for someplace else. Logged out after. No idea how many downvotes that got but, as I told them, I didn’t care. Frankly it would only confirm I was right to be disgusted.

I’ve only read a few since then (miss the comments that are actually informative and helpful and the obvious MDS wasn’t as bad) but hadn’t seen yesterday’s so thanks for the warning, I won’t waste my time wading through the crying. I sometimes go to SpaceNews and already know there is a minor MDS issue there but no where near as bad as Ars. Guess they might appeal more to grownups.

Government’s going to lose control
When Private Space starts to jam’

Laissez les bons temps rouler

Richard M: I wonder if you guys note elsewhere that my prediction for SLS’s cancellation has been around 90% since after the election, and with today’s pick of Isaacman I predict 100%. It will not last past the Artemis 3 launch, and I predict the chances of that launch being cancelled at about 85%. (As soon as Isaacman reviews the Orion heat shield situation he is going to shut it down.)

Someone follows up: “Even Block 1? with all the hardware?”

Eric: “Yep”

https://x.com/SciGuySpace/status/1864419205405159821

Of course, that leaves unclear the schedule of the cancellation. Would it get killed immediately, or after Artemis III, say? I think we know what almost all of us here prefer, and maybe even what Isaacman would prefer; but a) they still have to get that through a Congress with a razor thin GOP majority, and b) if Trump really is in a hurry to get someone on the Moon ASAP, the argument will be mooted that using SLS and Orion for two more missions, on hardware already built, could be faster than any other commercial-ish architectures that can be cooked up on short notice. I’m not saying I *agree* with that; but these are considerations that will shape just how fast this thing gets killed, if indeed it is destined for the ash heap.

Meanwhile, Homer Hickam jumps into Eric’s replies to renew his plea for a different kind of ending for SLS: “The #SLS in the pipeline now should be completed & used for a cargo flight TBD. The rest of the program, every nut, bolt, & scrap, should be cancelled. Artemis, as presently designed, should also be cancelled & a new clean sheet put forth to get the USA ASAP back to the moon, to build an outpost there & set up permanent shop.”

https://x.com/realhomerhickam/status/1864455393055002642

P.S. Homer’s battle with cancer isn’t over. Keep him in your prayers!

I wonder if Trump would be open to Lori Garver. I wonder if Garver would be open to working for Trump.

Probably just as well for Kathy. I am sure she’d have to take a big pay cut.

That said, we now must wait to see who Trump names as the Deputy Administrator. Given Isaacman’s lack of first-hand experience with NASA, that job will be very important.

And now there’s at least one antisemitic rant on Spacenews that’s still up as of a couple minutes ago.

That chap is a Russian troll. Comes with the territory.

Speaking of which….won’t Isaacman be the first Jewish NASA Administrator we’ve had?

No, wait…Robert Frosch, Carter’s NASA Administrator, apparently was Jewish. I guess that makes two now!

But Jared will definitely be the *youngest* NASA Administrator we have had.

Total Recall (1990)
“You Blabbed….”
https://youtu.be/R_A0EEdVGAQ
1:46

*Language Alert*

I like the sanity over here. Thanks for making it all possible, Mr. Zimmerman. Thinking about it, I need to make a very belated donation.

LOL I was just over there. 5 pages of comments later it seems to tally up, roughly:

60% “Fascist billionaire oligarchy, here we come”
20% “Hey, it could have been worse”
20% “Say, he might actually do some good there”

What gives me hope is how many of the really deranged ones in Category 1 got downvoted to oblivion. These people are, literally, the anti-Bob Zimmerman.

I really don’t think Jared will have a hard time getting confirmed, so long as he doesn’t publicly promise to personally burn Michoud or MSFC to the ground over the next 12 weeks. He’s likable, articulate, has no political background, and has no known skeletons, and there are spicier picks ahead of him to draw the heavy fire. No, the hard part will come when he tries to start cancelling stuff.

If you’re up for some indigestion, check out the comments to Stephen Clark’s article over at Ars technica. Holy…

It’s striking, too, that Trump makes this pick in the first week of December. Invariably, a NASA chief is a second tier appointment that Presidents don’t get around to until at least a month or two into their term. Look how long it was before Bridenstine got nominated. Elon surely accelerated this appointment!

But either way, Elon has to be pretty darned happy today.

Interesting that bit about Autry. I clearly need to track that interview down. Disappointing, if true.

But yes, this makes Isaacman a superior pick. Now he just needs a good, experienced hatchet man as his deputy: someone who knows policy and knows where the bodies are buried.

Is the money allocated tied to the project via legislation?

But are they really that radical?

The biggest beef against him will be his accumulated wealth…

Guys first private mission raised how much many millions for St Jude’s?

Not your typical billionaire.

Hoping to hear some other perspectives from you and your readers Bob.

* not investment advice