Senegal Visit Signals The Real NASA Management Structure

Keith’s note: According to a media advisory sent out on 22 July by NASA HQ “Senegal will sign the Artemis Accords during a ceremony at 2 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 24, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Brian Hughes, NASA chief of staff, will host Maram Kairé, director general of the Senegalese space agency (ASES), and Abdoul Wahab Haidara, ambassador of Senegal to the United States, along with other officials from Senegal and the U.S. Department of State.” Why is NASA chief of staff Brian Hughes the senior official hosting this event? I thought Sean Duffy was Acting NASA Administrator? And Acting NASA Associate Administrator Vanessa Wyche and NASA Deputy Associate Administrator Casey Swails, who would seem to out-rank Hughes, still work there, yes? This screen grab from last month’s NASA Town Hall shows a seating arrangement that speaks volumes in terms of who runs the show at NASA right now.