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.

Keith’s note: The House Science Committee held a Fiscal Year 2024 Proposed Budget Request for NASA hearing today. According to committee chair Frank Lucas’ prepared sattement: “Because of these overflowing costs, NASA has been forced to make difficult choices in its science portfolio. It postponed a selected mission to Venus, indefinitely paused a flagship heliophysics mission, and delayed launch of an important asteroid detection spacecraft. If this trend continues, then NASA may have to make difficult decisions to postpone or cancel future missions. This is unacceptable and we must do better.” Bill Nelson made no mention of delays or cost overruns. Instead all he said in his prepared statement was “The FY 2024 Request is the highest request for NASA science in history, supporting over 120 NASA science missions and 10,000 U.S. scientists through more than 4,000 openly competed research awards.” Video below.

Keith’s note: NASA HQ & NASA Goddard (Apparently) only care about the Vice President Harris’ visit with South Korean President Yoon as a photo op No transcripts, text of agreements signed – not even a link to the White House statement. How much lazier can NASA PAO get? And of course NASA OIIR is sound asleep – as always. Update below.

Keith’s note: Vice President Harris and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol are visiting NASA Goddard this afternoon. There will be live NASA TV at 3:45 pm EDT if you want to hear people speaking from a teleprompter an via interpreters. Only credentialed White House “Pool media” are covering. NASA PAO gave a few hours notice to media yesterday afternoon. Nothing much will be said and transcripts etc. will be posted later. Meanwhile NASA PAO just gave media short notice today about and event in a few hours with Bill Nelson and the Artemis II crew visiting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today in Ottawa. I have no idea if it is on TV. Words and pictures will be issued by someone eventually. Both events have international and intergovernmental relevance yet NASA’s Office of International and Interagency Relations will make zero mention. Why plan these things in advance for maximum impact, leveraged soft power protection, and overall transparency, eh?

Keith’s note: From NASA GRC: On April 12, 2023, the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) — and the nation — lost a remarkable unsung hero of the NASA’s early expendable launch vehicle program. John (“Joe”) Nieberding was one of the GRC’s most accomplished and highly regarded engineer/supervisor/executive leaders. A retired division chief, he held leadership roles in Atlas/Centaur, Titan/Centaur, and Shuttle/Centaur launch vehicle programs during development, integration, and day-of-launch at the Cape.

Keith’s note: small wonder that NASA fails so miserably in reaching vast portions of America when it still can’t change its own internal culture. Latest OIG report: “Despite support from Agency leaders and multiple initiatives to increase diversity, we found NASA has made little progress in increasing the representation of women and minorities in its civilian workforce or leadership ranks. Specifically, over the past decade NASA’s overall workforce demographics have stayed roughly the same, with small increases (1 or 2 percent) for some groups. Demographics have not varied significantly over the same time period at individual NASA Centers, with only two Centers increasing African American representation and other Centers making small gains in Hispanic, Asian American, and women’s representation. We also found NASA has made few gains in the percentages of women and racial and ethnic minorities in its senior levels (General Schedule 14 and 15 positions and Senior Executive Service) over the decade. At the same time, the proportion of veterans NASA hires has declined over the past 10 years, most significantly from 28 percent in 2015 to 13 percent in 2021. NASA’s lack of progress towards increasing diversity in its workforce is due to the Agency’s siloed approach to advancing DEIA. Specifically, ODEO and OCHCO have focused their efforts on meeting federal workforce reporting requirements while also working to integrate DEIA concepts into Agency culture. Moreover, NASA did not hold its leaders fully accountable for advancing DEIA efforts in their annual performance appraisals until 2021. In addition, the Agency has experienced gaps in professional development and training opportunities including programs designed to prepare employees for senior roles.” (Full report) — Update: I just deleted two bigoted anti-diversity comments. From now on you are instantly banned if you try this. I expected better from readers than this.

Keith’s note: The immense rocket moved slowly off the pad much like a Saturn V. As it ascended it could be seen that some of the engines were not firing. At the point at which first stage shut down and staging was to occur the vehicle stayed together and started to roll. Eventually the flight termination system was commanded to destroy the vehicle. Since SpaceX makes these rockets in a consumer product fashion with continuous improvement – like toasters – they will have another one ready to go soon. Unlike NASA wherein a SLS failure would result in Congressional hearings, this flight will end up as another segment on the Starship blooper reel – one more learning event in a paradigm shift. More: Second SpaceX Starship Launched But Fails To Reach Space Update: I just did an interview on i24 TV in Israel. Here’s the i24 audio – and yes I refer to the Starship as a “toaster”. I did Bloomberg Radio at 2:20 pm EDT (audio) and Deutsche Welle TV twice at 1:00 pm EDT (audio) and 7:00 pm EDT (Audio).

Keith’s note: According to “Artemis II pilot wants to talk about “Whitey on the Moon” with his colleagues“ at Axios “Glover also believes that it’s important to listen to the spaceflight skeptics, those who don’t see the utility in sending people to space or spending money on those efforts. “Where we were in 1968, when humans first set out on this voyage, our country is in a very similar place now,” Glover says. “And it’s important to recognize and respect those skeptics.” I certainly hope that Victor Glover does NOT drop this line of commentary/thinking. No doubt NASA PAO will try and dumb down and smooth out what Glover really needs to say. With everything going in the world, NASA needs to be MORE relevant to people’s everyday lives as well as their dreams. Everyone, everywhere should be included. That is not what NASA currently does. Not by a long shot. Audaces Fortuna Juvat Vic.

Keith’s note: According to NASA “As NASA builds a blueprint for human exploration throughout the solar system for the benefit of humanity, the agency released Tuesday the outcomes from its first Architecture Concept Review, a robust analysis process designed to align NASA’s Moon to Mars exploration strategy and codify the supporting architecture.” There are no firm dates for this “Blueprint” In the new Strategy and Objectives document issued a week or so ago the budget for this whole Moon to Mars thing, when mentioned, is discussed as more of an irritant that NASA cannot fix or something it simply works around i.e. “Financial resilience: In the face of inevitable budgetary constraints, rather than abandon the rigorously defined plan to accommodate a reduced budget, the architecture assists with maximizing potential. The strategy and resulting wireframe help prioritize efforts, as well as identify opportunities when the resource environment improves‘. (page 14) This is government double-speak at its finest. The Blueprint goes on to spend 90% of its time patting itself on the back for all of the previous notional plans that NASA has released with large portions of the latest docuent simply repeating what was published elsewhere i.e. In its earlier Moon to Mars Objectives document issued in September 2022. And there are more jargon-laden things to be found here. Of course this committee-drafted consensus document (as is the case with the earlier ones) begs the question: who is the audience for these reports? Certainly not the general public. In this most recent case, it is for an audience of one (the Vice President) and to check off an action item for the sleepy National Space Council folks. Nowhere has NASA ever bothered to come up with a “where are we going and why are we going” synopsis – one that rationalizes the billions already spent – and the billions yet to be spent; why all of the cost overruns and launch schedule slips are unimportant such that you can just let them be forgotten; and what the end result to an actual taxpayer will be when all is said and done. But why start now?