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Personnel News

Robert Lightfoot Is Retiring From NASA

By Keith Cowing
NASA Watch
March 12, 2018
Robert Lightfoot Is Retiring From NASA

Keith’s note: Acting NASA Administrator has just announced that he is retiring effective at the end of April. No Successor has been named.
NASA team,
It is with bittersweet feelings that I am announcing I will be retiring from the agency on April, 30, 2018. I will work with the White House on a smooth transition to the new administrator.
I cannot express enough my gratitude to the entire NASA team for the support during my career and especially the last 14 months as your acting administrator. The grit and determination you all demonstrate every day in achieving our missions of discovery and exploration are simply awe inspiring. I leave NASA blessed with a career full of memories of stunning missions, cherished friendships, and an incredible hope for what is yet to come.
When I look back on my time at NASA, I can’t help but think about the people. From my friends in the test areas at Marshall and Stennis, to the folks that I sat with on console launching shuttles, to the Marshall team when I was the center director, and now as the acting administrator to the entire NASA team – what a privilege to work with such dedicated and passionate people every day.
There is no way I would be where I am today without having had such amazing opportunities and such a great set of colleagues. I’ve learned in so many ways that at NASA we make the impossible possible – whether it is with the missions we do or whether it is a small town kid who was able to lead the greatest agency in the world.
NASA’s history has many chapters with each of us having a part. I’ve written my part and now the pen is in your hands – each one of you. I know you will make this nation proud as you accomplish the many missions you have in front of you. For me, I look forward to more time with my family and closest friends, and cheering the NASA team on from the outside.
God speed to all of you and thanks for the opportunity to be part of something truly bigger than each of us individually! It’s been an unbelievable ride!
Sincerely, Robert

NASA Watch founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.

28 responses to “Robert Lightfoot Is Retiring From NASA”

  1. John Carlton Mankins says:
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    Robert Lightfoot is the epitome of a fine civil servant; he has been a credit to NASA and the US Government. I believe he will continue in whatever new role(s) to be a respected leader toward our shared vision of the future. Congratulations on a great career…!

    • Michael Kaplan says:
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      Well said!

    • Donald Barker says:
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      I have one problem here in that there is no indication as to why he is leaving. Especially at such a critical time when there is no one at the helm. Baring any personal reasons, it seems somewhat derelict (or something else) to abandon ship in such a state. I think it is just another symptom of a diseased organization from the top down.

      • JadedObs says:
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        If by” diseased organization from the top down” you mean the Trump Administration, you are spot on; they have hardly half of their political appointees named and when they do name candidates, they are either political hacks with no qualifications or conservative lightning rods – sadly, Bridenstine probably falls into that latter category. I think Lightfoot just saw this as an interminable acting assignment and decided he’d rather make some money and spend more time with family and friends instead of trying to pretend this Administration actually knows what the hell they are doing.

  2. Eric says:
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    I have to wonder if it is Marco Rubio that is still the one holding up the confirmation of Jim Bridenstine, is he okay with NASA being run by the National Space Council, OMB and the next acting administrator for the rest of this presidential term? This is as complete abdication of senate responsibilities.

    • ThomasLMatula says:
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      I agree. NASA deserves to have an Administrator, and Associate Administrator and a CFA that not “Acting”.

    • Michael Kaplan says:
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      The way that our system works, the WH presents a nominee and the Senate provides “advice and consent,” not a rubber stamp. To expect the Senate to roll over with a nomination — especially given some of the nominations presented this WH – is an abdication of the Senate’s responsibility. If all of the Republicans in the Senate can’t get behind the nominee, then maybe the WH needs another nominee.

      • Eric says:
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        From what I hear they don’t object to the nominee as much as they are trying to protect cash flows to states so programs of record don’t change. There are 75 nominees to different posts being held up over policy fights with the administration. For example, the nuclear regulatory commission doesn’t have enough members for a quorum and Sen. Dean Heller (R) Nevada is holding the confirmation up of those nominees wanting a promise that Yucca Mountain won’t be used for waste storage. Across the board these confirmation holdups seem to have little to do with the nominees and more to do with policy clashes with the President.

        • ThomasLMatula says:
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          Senator Heller is a good example. Yucca Mountain is a much better solution than storing fuel rods at the power plants. As for risks, the area next to it is filled with radioactive caverns from decades of nuclear testing, so its not like you are placing them in a pristine environment.

          • Michael Spencer says:
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            I agree with your conclusions about Yucca Mountain.

            At the same time, I do not find the give-and-take an affront on any level; it is simply the way that different interests work through disagreements.

          • Daniel Woodard says:
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            I completely agree that onsite storage is a serious problem, but I have read some assessments by serious geologists that the thick self-healing salt bed underlying the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad, NM is much more secure for long-term waste storage then the dry rock at Yucca Mountain, which was selected based on political as well as geological considerations.

          • fcrary says:
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            That’s all very well and good, but Yucca Mountain versus Carlsbad isn’t the critical issue. It’s whether a decision about geology and hydrology should be made by by Congress, and (if they should make that decision) whether the confirmation of a Nuclear Regulatory Commission appointment the right forum for Congress to involve itself.

          • Michael Spencer says:
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            If only scientists ruled the world!

          • fcrary says:
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            I know enough scientists to say that wouldn’t be a good idea. But I wouldn’t mind Congress and the President setting policy and then letting scientists and engineers decide how to implement that policy.

          • Eric says:
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            Then you would get the technocrats like in China. If you don’t mind your voice being silenced when you don’t agree with them, then you have the system you want. I’d prefer our chaos to that.

      • fcrary says:
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        Yes, but… “consent” in this context generally means something you can accept. Not something you necessarily agree with or like. For example, doctors can’t perform surgery with the patient’s consent (with exceptions for unconscious patients, etc.) but most patients give that consent with a serious lack of enthusiasm. If you apply that standard to the President’s nominations, especially Mr. Bridenstine, not voting to confirm seems a bit extreme.

        • Michael Kaplan says:
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          It’s McConnell’s call if and when to have the vote. He’s probably delaying the vote because the nominee doesn’t have the votes. If he has the vote and Bridenstine’s not confirmed, gameover for his nommination.

          When the WH appoints a nominee who’s made statements that some would call controversial, where we are is not that surprising, is it? Can anyone recall a NASA Administrator nominee having made controversial statements in the past? I can’t, can you or anyone else? So when the WH makes nominations like this, it’s not surprising here’s where we are.

          • fcrary says:
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            In terms of controversial statements, you might be right. If memory serves, James Webb had some views on gender and race issues which, today, would be considered neolithic. But by the standards of the 1960s that wouldn’t have been controversial.

            But I don’t think controversial statements should be a disqualification. My point about “consent” was that it’s possible to consent to someone holding office without agreeing with his opinions. If a bad but non-disastrous candidate were nominated, I think that should fall within the bounds of “consent.”

    • sunman42 says:
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      The last opening on the Supreme Court showed where the Senates was on responsibilities vs. politics.

  3. Bad Horse says:
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    A good man who served his country well.

  4. Vladislaw says:
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    I thought he recentlyed stated on the hill that he was glad to be at NASA…. was this about his performance there?

    New job offer?

  5. ThomasLMatula says:
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    What would be fun is if he turned up working for SpaceX, or Blue Origin or other New Space firm..,

  6. Orlando Santos says:
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    I remember a long time ago an idiot supervisor of a young me said that anyone could be easily replaced. She was so so wrong. I’ve seen what the departure of people like Goldin and Weiler have meant. That said, I don’t care how dedicated you are, who could stay under the current political situation? Robert is nothing short of a technical genius, whose departure will be sorely missed. I wish him all the best. Come visit me in Florida anytime!

  7. Michael Spencer says:
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    An Open Letter to NASA folks:

    First, thank you. Thank you for inspiring people like me. Thank you for Voyager, Pioneer, Juno. Thank you for X-Plane, Apollo, and STS. For Explorer, Ranger, Telstar, Magellan, and Ulysses. For Hubble. Cassini. Dawn. Thank you for COBE.

    Thank you for the thrilling creativity and for simple curiosity.

    Thank you for countless missions, manned and robotic, many more than I can recall.

    My voice is one among a huge legion of NASA supporters. We know that the capability of NASA scientists, engineers, managers, support staff, and contractors remains unquestioned.

    The assault on NASA that we’ve seen over the past decades shows no sign of abating. Indeed, times are likely to get worse under the current Administration before we see improvement.

    The loss of key people is discouraging — and completely understood. And while the deserved respect isn’t forthcoming from above, it is wide, and deep, out here in America.

  8. sunman42 says:
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    Kudos to the p.r. person who wrote the Veep’s tweet: a perfect use of the dangling participle.

  9. Gaspipe says:
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    A pleasure to have worked with you and to know you. Good luck in the future

  10. Daniel Woodard says:
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    Lightfoot says he will work for a smooth transition to the new administrator, but who? He isn’t the sort to punch out with no one to take over. Does he have reason to believe a selection will be made soon, or is he perhaps trying to force the process to move along?