Keith’s note: The Aerospace Industries Association has written a letter to Congress regarding NASA FY 2026 budget request: “The proposed $18.8 billion NASA budget for FY26, a 24.3 percent reduction from FY25 levels, would be detrimental to the renowned reputation of the United States in space exploration, science, earth science, technology research, and STEM education. Moreover, a 50 percent reduction in NASA’s science funding would severely hinder the United States’ ability to lead in groundbreaking scientific discoveries, such as searching for new life forms in deep space. Notably, NASA and other science agencies play a crucial role in ensuring that Americans lead as the world’s top space scientists, engineers, and technical experts. Ongoing efforts to reduce the federal workforce, combined with these cuts, threaten thousands of highly skilled jobs and may push America’s brightest minds to seek opportunities overseas.” Full letter below.

Keith’s note: The Aerospace Industries Association just put put their self-serving and totally anodyne “Space Priorities 2025“. Its all bland happy talk – as if nothing was really happening these days when it comes to the health and well being of the aerospace sector. With all of the swirling concern over budget cuts, program cancellations, and layoffs, you’d think that a non-profit established to be concerned about the aerospace sector would be a little more proactive in discussing these threats. Guess again.

Prepared Remarks by House NASA Caucus Launch Reception AIA President and CEO Eric Fanning “As many of you know, this Caucus was established last October and it has been working largely behind the scenes in anticipation of tonight’s keynote speaker being confirmed: NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine.” But no one at @AIAspeaks seems to have bothered to invite news media or figure out how to do one of those webcast things […]

AIA Talking Points: Commercial Space Competitiveness Strategy for the 21st Century, Aerospace Industries Association “To compete effectively in this promising new market domain, our nation needs a 21st Century Commercial Space Competitiveness Strategy to ensure the U.S. is the commercial space leader for the next century. The U.S. will ensure its position as the first-choice provider of space-related goods and services by creating the conditions necessary to compete in the […]

Testimony of Aerospace Industries Association President and CEO Marion Blakey “For support contractors working at NASA locations, this means they are unable to do their jobs. To compensate, larger companies are forced to encourage workers to take unplanned vacation time off or try to find other work that they can do elsewhere. Smaller firms often do not have this flexibility; in many cases September 30th marked the end of a […]

Keith’s note: As you have probably noticed by now I have been helping the AIA folks get the word out about their crowd funding campaign. Now the Challenger Center for Space Science Education has joined the effort. This is a chance for all NASA Watch readers to put their money where their mouths are so as to put a simple message about space in front of a movie audience inclined […]

Keith’s note: The agenda for today’s Aerospace Industires Association (AIA) Space Council has a 90 minute disucssion with only one campaign represented: “11:30-1:00 p.m. 2012 Election Speaker: Mr. Peter Marquez Romney Space Policy Advisory Group”. An earlier draft version of the agenda listed “Dr. Scott Pace, Chairman, Chair of the Romney Space Policy Advisory Group and Peter Marquez, Member, Romney Space Policy Advisory Group”. So where’s the Obama campaign representative? […]

Commercial Spaceflight Federation Welcomes Passage of Legislation to Provide Regulatory Stability to Growing Industry “The Commercial Spaceflight Federation welcomes Congress’s passage today of the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill, which includes a key provision granting regulatory stability to the commercial spaceflight industry.” AIA Praises Congressional Passage of FAA Reauthorization “The Aerospace Industries Association welcomes House and Senate passage of the conference report on H.R. 658, the “FAA Modernization and Reform […]

National Aerospace Week Launched, Aerospace Industries Association “Ongoing and emerging security threats, aging civil and space infrastructure, fiscal challenges and keeping and creating jobs all present our nation with enormous challenges. This year’s National Aerospace Week, an event established by Congress, will focus on informing the debate over choices our government will make in the coming months. The aerospace and defense industry is the lifeblood of America’s industrial base, employing […]

NASA Commercial Spaceflight Status Briefing to the AIA Space Council June 16, 2011 “Why Commercial Crew and Why Now? 1) Federal budgets, including NASA’s, are extremely constrained – COTS and CCDev have shown that we can change the cost equation – We hope to fund multiple partners for less than $6B 2) Well understood technology – Human spaceflight is hard, but no breakthroughs are needed – We have been launching […]