Keith’s note: When it comes to NASA Transition Teams etc. the names you often hear floated are floated by the same people being named. In reality the people with the most influence often have the best self-discipline and remain low key. As the old saying goes “Those who speak do not know. Those who know do not speak”. It is also important to separate those people (especially the self-identified) who have an axe to grind or scores to settle from those who actually want to help NASA get even better. It is always easier to destroy than to build. Seek out the builders. This has happened before. And it will happen again. See BidenSpace, TrumpSpace, Transition for the last iterations of this activity.

Keith’s note: Forget about all those Decadal science plans. The future of NASA and all American space activities will be forced into compliance with Project 2025 and implemented with the loyalty and political ideology screening contained within Schedule F.

Keith’s note: I’m sorry but I am tired of all this ignorant crap from Trump.

Keith’s note: NASA put out a report NASA’s Economic Impact Report for fiscal year (FY) 2023. In addition to its data rich/ lousy common language construction (see A Nice NASA Economic Impact Report By / For Wonks) NASA is not really spending much effort to tell people about it. In addition to the report there are additional data files and one PDF file for every state (but nothing for Puerto Rico). But other than some info from GSFC, KSC, and Armstrong, NASA PAO seems to have ignored its own websites and not sent out any media advisories or press releases relevant to local state economic impacts (no mention here) just their main release and a KSC link. NASA has once again demonstrated that it is utterly clueless and bereft of strategic thought when it comes to demonstrating its value and relevance to its stakeholders, taxpayers, and its puppet masters in DC. This is going to come back and bite the agency. It is downright embarrassing that the same agency that can look outward and back at the beginning of time and reprogram 50 year old spacecraft in interstellar space can’t explain itself to the people that pay for the whole space thing. More snarky detail below.

Keith’s note: I was watching Sen. Tammy Duckworth speak at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday night and had a flashback. In August 1980 I was working on Gov. Jerry Brown’s presidential campaign. Among many other things I did, I was his sign language interpreter – which is what I did for a living prior to joining his campaign.

Bill Nye “The Science Guy” Joins Astronaut John Grunsfeld and Other Space Luminaries to Launch Space Cadets 4 Harris with Virtual Fundraiser. Congressional candidate George Whitesides, former NASA administrator and astronaut Charlie Bolden, Republican NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe, Star Trek actor Robert Picardo, aerospace exec Lauren Lyons, private astronaut Sirisha Bandla among others launching Space Cadets 4 Harris on Thursday. The Space Cadets 4 Harris initiative, created by former NASA Astronaut John Grunsfeld, today announced it will host a star-studded, space and science themed virtual fundraising event on Thursday, August 15 at 8:00 pm EST with all proceeds benefiting the Harris-Walz Presidential Campaign.

Keith’s note: So … his is certainly trending right now ….

“Today, former NASA Chief of Staff and Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides announced his candidacy for Congress in California’s 27th congressional district. Whitesides served as Virgin Galactic’s first CEO, and in his ten years in that role, created over 700 jobs in the Antelope Valley. Whitesides also co-founded Megafire Action, an advocacy and policy organization that seeks to support solutions for the megafire crisis, and helped lead an effort to support frontline medical workers during the pandemic. Whitesides released the following statement:” Full statement.