Biden nominates former senator Bill Nelson for NASA administrator
The Biden administration today announced that it has nominated former Democratic senator Bill Nelson for Florida to be the next NASA administrator.
Nelson was a big proponent of SLS. He also was a big opponent of commercial space for many years, changing his mind only during the last few years in the Senate.
He is also old, 78. Though that age by itself does not guarantee failing mental abilities, the last time I saw Nelson live was during 2017 hearings instigated by senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) related to the Outer Space Treaty. During those hearings he struck me as confused, unaware of the most recent developments in commercial space, and repeatedly struggling to express himself on the simplest topics.
In this sense he will make a great bookend with Joe Biden. In both cases the weak-minded elected official does not run things. Instead, it is the unelected Washington bureaucracy in charge.
How this will impact the growing and successful commercial space market at this moment remains unclear. Within NASA there are two camps, one favoring private enterprise and the other wanting to control it so that NASA decides everything. For the last half of the 20th century through the first decade of the 21st the latter was in charge. In the past decade the former has gained ascendancy.
As a longtime supporter of the latter group, Nelson’s appointment therefore could shift that battle in a way that aborts America’s new private space effort.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
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The Biden administration today announced that it has nominated former Democratic senator Bill Nelson for Florida to be the next NASA administrator.
Nelson was a big proponent of SLS. He also was a big opponent of commercial space for many years, changing his mind only during the last few years in the Senate.
He is also old, 78. Though that age by itself does not guarantee failing mental abilities, the last time I saw Nelson live was during 2017 hearings instigated by senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) related to the Outer Space Treaty. During those hearings he struck me as confused, unaware of the most recent developments in commercial space, and repeatedly struggling to express himself on the simplest topics.
In this sense he will make a great bookend with Joe Biden. In both cases the weak-minded elected official does not run things. Instead, it is the unelected Washington bureaucracy in charge.
How this will impact the growing and successful commercial space market at this moment remains unclear. Within NASA there are two camps, one favoring private enterprise and the other wanting to control it so that NASA decides everything. For the last half of the 20th century through the first decade of the 21st the latter was in charge. In the past decade the former has gained ascendancy.
As a longtime supporter of the latter group, Nelson’s appointment therefore could shift that battle in a way that aborts America’s new private space effort.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
*If* Pam Melroy does get the Deputy Administrator position, then that *might* ameliorate some of the worst. Her rep, among those who have worked for her is of a sharp, determined, and can do technical administrator. Of course, whether she gets to make use of those skills for some positive impact is something we must wait upon.
He’s not a firebrand. Lori might be what SLS haters want-but she would just be about climate. Nelson will just putter about-no surprises.
“the weak-minded elected official does not run things. Instead, it is the unelected Washington bureaucracy in charge.”
This sounds very familiar. Government works tend to be left wingnuts. This is why even conservative state (provinces) have lockdowns.
I suspect the bottom line for Nelson will continue to be what it seemingly always was – the benefit of his native Space Coast. That’s why he reversed himself on commercial cargo and crew once the Space Coast payrolls associated with those activities got big enough. Nelson has long been an OldSpace guy but that was because OldSpace employed most of his Space Coast constituents. Now NewSpace employs a lot of them and will employ still more in coming years. I don’t think any NewSpace outfit with a payroll on the Space Coast has much to fear from a Bill Nelson NASA Administratorship.
Dick Eagleson: Ah, but the biggest and most innovative growth in New Space right now is not in Florida, but in Texas. Nelson might end up playing favorites in this game, especially since the Florida companies (Boeing, Blue Origin) have spent a lot of money paying off politicians. Texas (led by SpaceX) has not so much.
I will not be surprised if Mr. Nelson along with the FAA and FCC does as much damage as they can to SpaceX in Boca Chica. I think Elon Musk wanted his own area to avoid all of the hassle of working at The Cape under Old Space rules. I do believe that SpaceX will eventually start Starship operations at The Cape but not until there is a viable launch system. They need The Cape to launch government payloads and support multiple daily launches because of the “safety” zone provided.