Keith’s note: Here we go again. Its presidential transition team season and all the space fans are lining up trying to get their ideas in front of the new Administration. As is usually the case someone starts a white paper and looks for supporters who invariably start to edit and nick pick and add wish lists. Space organizations such as the Space Foundation, the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration, the […]

Top Trump appointee at USAID tells colleagues not to support Biden transition, Washington Post “John Barsa, who holds the title of acting deputy administrator, told political appointees at USAID on Monday afternoon that the agency would not cooperate with the transition until Murphy does so. Barsa has told colleagues in other conversations that Biden has not won and emphasized the importance of not abetting the process, two people said.” Keith’s […]

#JoeBiden will apparently be the next President of the United States. @NASA / space issues will probably not be publicly discussed for a while. The official Biden/Harris Transition Team website is here: https://t.co/evKMOaoe63 #BuildBackBetter pic.twitter.com/IFtwTZxZnK — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) November 6, 2020

As Election Nears, Trump Makes a Final Push Against Climate Science, NY Times “The Trump administration has recently removed the chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the nation’s premier scientific agency, installed new political staff who have questioned accepted facts about climate change and imposed stricter controls on communications at the agency. The moves threaten to stifle a major source of objective United States government information about […]

Former @NASA Press Secretary Megan Powers has been appointed as Director of Administrative Operations for the Trump 2020 campaign. — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) February 19, 2019

Keith’s note: Sources continue to report that Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-OK) is still the Administration’s preferred choice to become NASA Administrator and that they expect to nominate him in the coming weeks. Former Rep. Bob Walker stated several weeks ago in a public event that the executive order creating (reinstating) the National Space Council has been drafted and that it is awaiting signature. The only thing holding that executive order […]

Keith’s note: Just a reminder. As you ponder why so many things at NASA are not happening (like getting a new Administrator) stop for a moment and consider that the most senior Trump political appointee at NASA is Jonathan Dimock. He is the White House Liaison – the prime person for interactions with the President. He has no known experience in government, science and technology, or space exploration. If you […]

Odds-on favorite amongst space policy watchers here in DC for exec sec of Nat'l Space Council is Scott Pace #humanstomars #NASA pic.twitter.com/lNbLs6EIvl — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) May 9, 2017

Acting #NASA Chief of Staff Shana Dale will be departing FAA – and NASA soon. We should all wish her well. She's a class act. — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) May 9, 2017

House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Chairman Smith Statement on the March for Science “I support the right of science supporters to gather and march this weekend. Opening new frontiers of scientific knowledge, on Earth and beyond, will pave the way to a better, more secure future for the next generation. I will continue to support scientific research that furthers our national interest and is of the highest intellectual […]

Congressman Jim Bridenstine Says He’s Still In Running To Lead NASA, NewsOn6 “Oklahoma First District Congressman Jim Bridenstine says he is still in the running to be the new head of NASA. Bridenstine told News On 6 he was recently asked back for another interview by the Trump administration. The Republican said, “I don’t know what the end result is, but I keep interviewing, which is an indicator that maybe […]

Keith’s note: Multiple sources are mentioning Stu Witt as a likely choice for a senior NASA HQ position — including Deputy NASA Administrator. LinkedIn

Keith’s note: One of the signs on a reserved chair in the NAC meeting room has a name tag for Shana Dale with titles “Chief of Staff (acting)” and “Senior White House Advisor” on it. One would assume that she assumed these roles when Trump transition team member Erik Noble (who had these jobs) left NASA last week. It is my understanding that she is only at NASA on loan […]

Keith’s note: If you look at our calendar for the coming week you will see an unusual number of advisory meetings, policy briefings, seminars, etc. here in Washington, DC. Everyone will be talking about where they think space (e.g. NASA) policy and science will be going in the next few months and years. Many events conflict with one another in terms of timing. Many more of these events overlap in […]

Keith’s note: Erik Noble, a member of the Trump Beachhead team at NASA headquarters has departed NASA for a position at NOAA. Noble had been serving as Chief of Staff on the 9th floor. No word yet as to who is replacing him in that position.

Washington Space Business Roundtable Luncheon With Rep. James Bridenstine Keith’s note: Likely NASA Administrator nominee Rep. James Bridenstine (R-OK) will be the luncheon speaker at a Washington Space Business Roundtable event in downtown Washington DC at noon EDT today. I plan to be live tweeting his comments and responses to questions from the event on Twitter at @NASAWatch Editor's note: word has it that @RepJBridenstine has another WH meeting – […]

White House installs political aides at Cabinet agencies to be Trump’s eyes and ears, Washington Post “This shadow government of political appointees with the title of senior White House adviser is embedded at every Cabinet agency, with offices in or just outside the secretary’s suite. The White House has installed at least 16 of the advisers at departments including Energy and Health and Human Services and at some smaller agencies […]

Just as the pro-SLS Alabama Mafia thinks that it has a stranglehold on @NASA – @NewtGingrich fights back https://t.co/CKrtvBAct6 pic.twitter.com/MS6pPLLdMw — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) March 10, 2017

New Trump political watchdog/WH liaison at @NASA HQ Jonathan Dimock https://t.co/IB0lk1tTmx which says he's a "Entrepreneur Extraordinaire" pic.twitter.com/q8FZuJWeMA — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) March 9, 2017 More info on Trump's "Entrepreneur Extraordinaire" Jonathan Dimock who is now on @NASA HQ 9th floor on Facebook https://t.co/1YUKv3mf0W pic.twitter.com/qqeA6knsed — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) March 9, 2017