Keith’s note: According to this OSTP Fact Sheet: Biden-⁠Harris Administration to Kick off Fourth Investing in America Tour to Highlight How the President Is Delivering for Communities in Every Corner of America: “Throughout the Investing in America tour, President Biden, Vice President Harris, First Lady Jill Biden, Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, Cabinet members, and Senior Administration Officials will visit communities across the country where the President is cutting costs for American families, growing our clean energy economy, rebuilding our infrastructure, and creating good-paying jobs along the way. To date, the Administration has now launched over 50,000 infrastructure and clean energy projects and mobilized over $640 billion in private sector clean energy and manufacturing investments.” Alas, NASA is mentioned nowhere in this fact sheet. The fact sheet points to a Brookings Institution report – which also makes no mention of NASA or space. Remember the early days of this Administration when the President pointed out a Moon rock in the oval office? Looks like NASA has lost its mojo. As for the National Space Council – which is supposed to worry about these sort of things – nothing but crickets.

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?

Keith’s note: According to NASA “To help guide NASA’s efforts over the next decade, the agency today released its Planetary Defense Strategy and Action Plan.” This is kinda important, right? NASA PAO tweeted about it and posted a thing on NASA.gov but did not bother to issue a media advisory or press release to the news media. No mention is made on the White House website, by OSTP, the National Space Council, the Users Advisory Group, or the Vice President’s office. Or Space Force, DHS, NOAA etc. No one really bothers to try and coordinate this stuff across the government anymore since it is really not much of a priority – unless there is a photo-op with the VP. More info.

Keith’s note: On 31 March 2023 The White House issued a policy document “Maintaining U.S. Preeminence in Low Earth Orbit“ which seeks to guide ongoing and future ISS research as well as possible commercial platforms that NASA or the private sector may soon sponsor. It has been 4 days. No mention is made at NASA.gov, NASA space station page, ISS National Lab page, @Space_Station, or @ISS_Reseach. Outgoing HEOMD AA @KathyLueders did mention this in a tweet on Friday (after business hours – and after a @NASAWatch tweet prompt. You have to wonder if NASA is really in synch with what the White House is directing the agency to do if they cannot even bother to mention a policy document – one that will serve to guide billions in future investments in space. Just sayin’.

Keith’s note: According to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s new report on Low Earth Orbit research: “The United States holds the preeminent global position in space thanks to steadfast investments in space research and technology development, and strategic partnerships and collaborations. As we work to further explore the Moon and Mars, the use of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) grows, and the International Space Station begins its phased retirement, it is crucial that we maintain preeminence in space research. That’s why today the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy is releasing the Biden-Harris Administration’s vision for U.S. leadership in the future research and development (R&D) in LEO.” Summary and full report

“The ISAM Implementation Plan implements the strategic vision established in the April 2022 ISAM National Strategy. Both policy documents were developed by the National Science and Technology Council’s Interagency Working Group on In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing.” Full report

Keith’s note: It is June July 2022. The last time the National Space Council poked its head out through the curtains was December 2021. Six months. Does anyone know what they are doing? If you go to the official National Space Council Users’ Advisory Group (NSpC UAG) page at NASA you are greeted with banner image of the Trump Administration’s UAG. If you go to the membership roster page it […]

Biden’s top science adviser, Eric Lander, resigns amid reports of bullying, Politico “President Joe Biden’s top science adviser, Eric Lander, resigned on Monday evening under an avalanche of backlash over reports of his bullying and mistreatment of subordinates. The resignation came despite initial insistence from the White House that Lander would remain in his post while corrective actions and remediations were applied to assure a better workplace environment at the […]

Remarks by Science Advisor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Dr. Eric Lander to The World Academy of Sciences, OSTP “The United States can and must do more ourselves. We’re proud to directly support local scientific researchers: from physician-scientists in Ghana studying if a certain gene increases risk of preeclampsia in mothers-to-be, to tropical forest ecologists in Colombia working to institute […]

Multi-Agency Research and Development Priorities for the FY 2023 Budget, OMN/OSTP “This memorandum outlines the Administration’s multi-agency R&D priorities for formulating fiscal year (FY) 2023 Budget submissions to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The priorities covered in this memo require continued investments in R&D; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and engagement; STEM workforce development; technology transfer and commercialization; and research infrastructure, with emphasis on Historically Black […]