Keith’s note: During the Vision for Space Exploration (VSE) era after the loss of Columbia NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe created an Exploration Directorate separate from the directorate that operated the space shuttle and ISS – on purpose. He wanted the new stuff to not be bound by the status quo. Adm. Craig Steidle was recruited to run the show. Whatever commercial things NASA does now had their seeds in what […]

Can lightning strike twice for RLVs?, The Space Review “In a speech the following day at the conference, [Mike] Griffin said that X-vehicles in general can do several key things essential in aerospace development, including proving out technologies before getting locked into vehicle configurations, determining what the requirements should be for future vehicles, and demonstrating systems engineering. He lamented, though, the lack of X-vehicle development today. “It is a lapse […]

Alexander Saltman Selected As Executive Director of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation “The Federation has selected Dr. Alexander Saltman as the organization’s Executive Director. Saltman is a physicist who has most recently served as the Legislative Director for Congressman Adam Schiff of California. … Separately, the Commercial Spaceflight Federation is currently conducting an executive search for a new President to replace Rear Admiral Craig Steidle, who stepped down earlier this fall […]

An Open Letter to Neil Armstrong, Gene Cernan, and James Lovell, Dennis Wingo, SpaceRef “Recently, a joint letter was penned by three legendary Apollo lunar astronauts berating the Obama Administration for “Grounding JFK’s Space Legacy” and declaring that a coherent plan for maintaining America’s leadership in space exploration is no longer apparent. While it may be that the current administration’s plans are not perfect – and a new national debate […]

Rear Admiral Craig Steidle Named President of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation “The Commercial Spaceflight Federation is pleased to announce that Rear Admiral Craig E. Steidle (U.S. Navy, Ret.) has been named as President, effective May 15. Admiral Steidle was approved for the position by a unanimous vote of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s board of directors and will serve full-time in this capacity working from the organization’s headquarters in downtown Washington, […]

Keith’s note: I feel compelled to feature this masterful video by Karen Lau and David Sanders at least once a year. This was done when Craig Steidle ran ESMD. For a brief moment, they “got it”. So folks, drop the petty internal and external politics, and think big picture – just for a moment. I don’t see this sort of thinking at NASA any more. NASA will go nowhere unless […]