According to NASA PAO: “NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced Monday the selection of Iris Lan as the agency’s new general counsel, effective immediately. She succeeds Sumara Thompson-King, who retired from NASA last December.” More

“Last week there was an event at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex titled “How Science Fiction Has Impacted Space Exploration and Policy” sponsored by Redwire Corporation. The event consisted of a panel moderated by Redwire’s Mike Gold, an unabashed Star Trek fan who previously held senior positions at NASA headquarters. The panel was composed of Jess Bush, Visual artist and Actor on “Strange New Worlds”; A.C. Charania, NASA Chief Technologist; and Morgan Gendel, Screenwriter, “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “Deep Space 9”, and Aerospace Entrepreneur. To open the event, Gold played a video shot several years ago on the set of “Strange New Worlds” during the height of the pandemic. In the video, actor Anson Mount, who plays Captain Pike in the show, read a note to the cast and crew of “Strange New Worlds” from (then) Associate Administrator for Space Policy and Partnerships Mike Gold and (then) Acting NASA Chief of Staff and Senior White House appointee Bhavya Lal.” More – including video and complete transcript

Keith’s note: Last night I was on BBC 5 Live talking about the NASA UAP meeting (audio). This evening I was on Al Jazeera Arabic talking about the meeting and what it did – and did not say – about life in the universe, whether we have been visited, and why people are so interested in this topic. I also used my little green alien 👽 as a prop which was in keeping with the graphics on their intro piece. (audio)

Keith’s note: Today at the NASA UAP media briefing I asked Dr. Dan Evans from NASA “My question with regard to the whole transparency issue: why is it that the NASA Astrobiology website, the NASA citizen science, the NASA education website etc. make no mention of this FACA committee or this FACA meeting today – or the topic under discussion in general? How can NASA address this issue with a straight face without at least acknowledging this great public interest in the topic of life in the universe and do so in the very program – Astrobiology – where these topics are actually being investigated?” I did not get an answer. Instead I got a government spokesperson wandering around using lots of words and talking points – but never actually answering a simple question – why doesn’t NASA mention this topic on the obvious websites that the agency has in place to deal with the specific topics raised repeatedly in this FACA committee’s meeting – and elsewhere? Everyone kept asking about the whole “UAP” acronym. Well, I guess NASA = Never A Straight Answer (audio) Update: I spoke with BBC 5 Live about this event and how NASA never seems to be able to have a conversation with the rest of society – who share a great interest in the idea of life elsewhere in the universe. Instead, NASA transmits talking points and never stop to listen to what real people have to say. There is intelligent life outside of your office cubicle, NASA. FYI. (Audio)

Keith’s note: On Tuesday I was on Bloomberg radio (audio) talking about China’s space program and global space efforts. With the arrival of Shenzhou-16 there are 6 people on Tiangong. Later in the day I was on CGTN (audio) talking about China’s ambitions including human missions to the Moon. With the AX-2 crew on ISS I counted 10 faces. Now they are headed back to Earth. So I guess that means we had 16 17 humans in orbit for a while today – and at time of this posting – they were in 3 different spacecraft. Its getting busy up there.

Keith’s note: Last week I posted some fascinating news – our solar system may actually have a second Kuiper Belt. The news originated from a New Horizons Science Team meeting. While that finding is rather tentative and is based on ground-based observations, the person making the presentation was a mission co-investigator. Now, instead of simply heading out into interstellar space, New Horizons is going to be heading toward a possible second Kuiper Belt in the late 2020s/early 2030’s time frame. Who knows – perhaps there will be a possible flyby target. But wait: just as this big planetary science news is emerging the NASA Science Mission Directorate wants to turn this planetary science mission – the only one that can visit this region of space in the coming decades – into a heliophysics mission instead. Go figure. So how did we get here? (More below)

Keith’s note: What is this going to do to NASA’s Artemis plans, and issues within SMD over science missions – and the “nice to have” things like education? Stay tuned. According to Reuters: “The deal would suspend the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling until January of 2025, allowing the U.S. government to pay its bills. In exchange, non-defense discretionary spending would be capped at current year levels in 2024 and increased by only 1% in 2025.” Ouch. More.

Keith’s note: I was just on Alhurra TV talking about the large sunspot that has appeared and the potential for some bad space weather. In the process I had a chance to go through space weather (and solar physics) 101 for the audience to talk about the value of studying the sun – for all humanity – and how we are doing that every day. Audio.

Keith’s note: According to a new NASA OIG Report “NASA’s Management of the Space Launch System Booster and Engine Contracts“: “… the complexity of developing, updating, and integrating new systems along with heritage components proved to be much greater than anticipated, resulting in the completion of only 5 of 16 engines under the Adaptation contract and added scope and cost increases to the Boosters contract. … Additionally, Marshall Space Flight Center procurement officials who oversee all four contracts are challenged by inadequate staff, their lack of experience, and limited opportunities to review contract documentation. … Marshall procurement officials also encountered significant issues with the award of BPOC, the follow-on booster contract, which started as an undefinitized letter contract in which terms, specifications, and price were not agreed upon before performance began. We found NASA took 499 days to definitize the letter contract, which is far outside the 180-day federal guidance. … As a result, we question $19.8 million in award fees it received for the 11 unfinished engines which were subsequently moved to the RS-25 Restart and Production contract and may now be eligible to receive additional award fees. … Faced with continuing cost and schedule increases, NASA is undertaking efforts to make the SLS more affordable. Under the RS-25 Restart and Production contract, NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne are projecting manufacturing cost savings of 30 percent per engine starting with production of the seventh of 24 new engines. However, those savings do not capture overhead and other costs, which we currently estimate at $2.3 billion. Moreover, NASA currently cannot track per-engine costs to assess whether they are meeting these projected saving targets.”

Keith’s note: “In a meeting today of the NASA New Horizons Science Team a presentation strongly suggests that our solar system actually has a second Kuiper Belt. And New Horizons will be visiting it in a few years.” More

Thomas Zurbuchen: “I would like to provide you with an update on my future plans. Many of you may remember that I left NASA as the Head of Science at the end of 2022. After enjoying a month of skiing and making friends during the most incredible winter in the Rockies that I could have ever imagined, I began engaging in some work. You might ask, why not just take more time off? Well, Erin and I have two kids in college for another two years, and given my previous role as a government civil servant, we simply cannot afford to slack off. … After considering offers from multiple places and carefully weighing the professional and personal aspects for both Erin and me, we have decided to take the leap across the Atlantic. I will be taking on a part-time job at Switzerland’s ETHZ, a renowned engineering and science-focused research university.” More

Keith’s note: FWIW I just tweeted this: “Amanda Gorman’s Inaugural Poem “The Hill We Climb” was banned by a Florida school – the same state where @NASA sends missions that climb a great hill – up to the stars. FYI Florida words by @TheAmandaGorman were launched – from Florida – on the #NASA @LucyMission Just sayin’ “

According to NASA PAO: “NASA and the U.S. Department of Education signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday, strengthening the collaboration between the two agencies, including efforts to increase access to high-quality STEM and space education to students and schools across the nation.” Keith’s note: Curious fact: Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and I are both from Meriden, Connecticut. In fact he was principal of Hanover Elementary School – which he had once attended – and where I was also student (before his time during the Apollo years). He used to come into the public library in Meriden where my mother worked at the reference desk. He later accomplished much as he rose through the ranks in Meriden and later for the entire state of Connecticut. He is one of those people you simply never hear anything about except high praise. NASA has an incredible range of inspirational things and a global reach – both of which the agency rarely uses to its fullest potential. If anyone can help NASA achieve its true educational potential it is Secretary Cardona.

Keith’s note: A SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying the Dragon “Freedom” was launched on time today at 5:37 pm EDT from Kennedy Space Center with a crew of four on board which includes two Saudis. More. Earlier today I spoke with Alhurra TV about the upcoming AX-2 mission to the ISS later this afternoon. Audio.

“NASA announced today (May 19) that Blue Origin is the winner of the second Artemis lunar lander contract today. Initially, NASA had hoped to fund more than one lander concept for the Artemis program — the logic being similar to how NASA approached commercial crew and cargo service for the International Space Station. In both ISS cases, the redundant approach adopted for ISS has proved to be a wise one.” More.

According to NASA PAO: “James L. Reuter, associate administrator for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), announced Tuesday he will retire from NASA after 40 years of service. Reuter’s retirement will be effective Friday, June 30.”

Keith’s note: I was on i24 TV in Israel today to talk about the upcoming Axiom-2 (AX2) mission to the ISS. In a nutshell I think my main point is that what was once monolithic i.e. a large rich country sent its generic employee astronauts into space to do mission X to now where many people go up via many different arrangements to do many different things. And who they are as a person becomes more important – and more interesting – than the fact that they are an “astronaut” in a rocketship. And that is a good thing. Audio. Video clip below.

Keith’s note: Tweet from Homer Hickam @realhomerhickam: “Sad news: Family statement on the death of Sam Durrance: Sam died quietly today (May 5, 2023) surrounded by family after a long struggle with dementia and Parkinson’s disease. He had spent his final days in hospice care at a facility in Viera, Florida. Sam was a veteran of two Space Shuttle missions, flying in 1990 and 1995 as a payload specialist and operating a collection of four telescopes as part of the Astro-1 and Astro-2 Spacelabs. A true scientist to the end and beyond, Sam asked that his body be donated to support the ongoing medical research associated with astronauts who have flown in space. At the conclusion of that research, he will be cremated, and the remains returned to the family. A memorial service will be held in Melbourne, Florida, later this year. We are comforted to know Sam is in heaven with his savior, Jesus Christ, and very much appreciate everyone’s love and prayers during this difficult time.” Ad Astra Sam.

Keith’s note: According to the NASA PAO press release “During a ceremony at NASA Headquarters in Washington Wednesday, the Czech Republic became the 24th country to sign the Artemis Accords. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson participated in the signing ceremony for the agency and Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of the Czech Republic.” NASA PAO is too lazy to post the words and themes raised in these agreements. Below is an enhanced picture of a drawing by a boy in the Terezin Ghetto during World War II. The presentation says “This drawing was made by the talented jewuish boy Petr Ginz for Vedem (“We Lead”) magazine, which was published in the Teresin Ghetto in 1942-1944 by imprisoned Jewish biys. Most of them died in the gas chambers of the extermination camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau …” One of Ginz’s drawings was on board Space Shuttle Columbia when it was lost and later another drawing by Ginz went to the ISS. NASA did not bother to mention any of this in their press release. They took a picture but did not think it worth mentioning otherwise. You’d think that the NASA OIIR folks would be tuned into things like this. Guess not. Very odd. More below.

Keith’s note: There is a photo posted the other day by NASA titled NASA Admin Signs Joint Statement with Space Agency of Ukraine that says “NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, left, and Deputy Chairman of the State Space Agency of Ukraine, Volodymyr Mikheiev, display their signed joint statements on civil space cooperation between NASA and the State Space Agency of Ukraine, Friday April 21, 2023 at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington DC. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani) Date Created:2023-04-21”. Cool stuff. In a time of war America and Ukraine find a cool way to reiterate their solidarity on peaceful activities. Alas, There is no NASA press release about this listed – before or after the event. Nor a media advisory that I can find. If you search for “Ukraine” at NASA.gov all you get are old stories about grain. I can’t seem to find any stories posted at NASA.gov by looking around NASA.gov.