Keith’s note: According to a press release “Today, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) sent a letter to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Acting Administrator Sean Duffy expressing her serious concern regarding NASA’s relationship with the Department of Defense (DoD).” More below.

Keith’s note: It looks like the White House is taking a totally different tack on finding a new NASA Administrator. A pivot in a military direction. According to Military.com: “The White House made the unusual move of reaching out Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for advice on who should serve as the next NASA administrator, causing experts to worry about military influence on the civilian space agency. … At a news conference Thursday, President Donald Trump said that “Gen. Caine is going to be picking somebody” for the top role in NASA, which is separate from the Defense Department, and that somebody “will be checking them out.” FYI the current Deputy NASA Administrator nominee Matt Anderson has a long affiliation with military space activities.

Keith’s note: According to this Space Force Association tweet: “Big news from the Space Force Association! We’re thrilled to share that our very own Chief Growth Officer, Col. Matt Anderson, USAF (Ret.), has been nominated to serve as Deputy Administrator of NASA.” Update: NASA PAO issued a statement – 3 hours after everyone else had posted the news on social media.

Keith’s note: If only NASA could utilize the same recruitment tools as effectively as Space Force i.e. “Some people look to the stars and ask “what if?”. Our job is to have an answer. … Maybe your purpose on this planet – isn’t on this planet”. The Space Force folks clearly ‘get’ the Star Trek / Star Wars vibe. NASA sometimes gets close to embracing that vide (see above) but then NASA always seems to hold back when they could run with the meme. Why?

Keith’s note: NASA, DoD, USAF, and Space Force have decided that there’s a “New Space Race” between the U.S. and China. Yes, there’s competition for influence and dominance in space between America and China. But to characterize things as bipolar without considering the true multipolarity of space – all the other spacefaring countries and companies with budgets that exceed many nation’s budgets – is simplistic. Yes, there’s overt competition. There’s also overt collaboration and cooperation. Here’s the report.

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From the #SpaceSymposium, Administrator @SenBillNelson highlights our #Artemis missions which will send astronauts, including the first woman and first person of color, to explore more of the Moon than ever before. What we learn there will prepare us to send humans to Mars: pic.twitter.com/b4IFI1Cvso — NASA (@NASA) August 24, 2021 Keith’s note: The opening speakers at today’s Space Symposium session were General Jay Raymond, Chief of Space Operations, U.S. Space […]

Asked if @POTUS plans to keep/modify @SpaceForceDoD "Wow. #SpaceForce. Its the plane of today! It is an interesting question. I'm happy to check with our Space Force point of contact. I'm not sure who that is but I will find out and see if we have any update on that." Tick tock. https://t.co/seI1UG8Ok7 — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) February 3, 2021 We look forward to the continuing work of Space Force […]

Letter From Colorado Congressional Delegation To President Biden Regarding Relocation Of The U.S. Space Command “We write to request you conduct a thorough review of the Trump Administration’s last-minute decision to move U.S. Space Command from Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Huntsville, Alabama and suspend any actions to relocate the headquarters until you complete the review. This move undermines our ability to respond to the threats in space and is disruptive […]

SecAF selects Huntsville, Alabama, as preferred location to host USSPACECOM, US Space Command “The Secretary of the Air Force, on behalf of the Office of Secretary of Defense, selected Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama, as the preferred location for the U.S. Space Command Headquarters. … Albuquerque, New Mexico; Bellevue, Nebraska; Cape Canaveral, Florida; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and San Antonio, Texas, will remain reasonable alternative locations for the U.S. Space Command Headquarters.” […]

The sky is not the limit … #SemperSupra!pic.twitter.com/HKlBiAJLBB — Gen. Jay Raymond (@SpaceForceCSO) October 30, 2020 Keith’s note: This is a nicely done video. One small problem: most of it shows military people from the Space Force doing the things that NASA is supposed to be doing – like going to the Moon and Mars – in SLS/Orion hardware. They also a space station-derived interplanetary vehicle with a large centrifuge […]