How NASA Could Change Under Donald Trump

Although the details have changed, the editing team is still reviewing it NASA and his work has begun to document possible administrations to change the space policy under the Trump Administration.

Sources familiar with the five people on the panel, who have spent the past six weeks scrutinizing the space agency and its exploration plans, were careful to note that such panels are advisory in nature. They don’t make laws or their job is always to show how the president’s administration is coming.

However, in an attempt to establish clear goals for NASA and public space policy, the proposed proposal reflects the Trump administration’s desire for “big change” at NASA, in terms of increasing the power and speed of its programs.

Not Business as Usual

The reform team has been struggling with an organization that has too many facilities – ten spread across the United States, and a permanent headquarters in Washington, DC – and large, slow-moving programs that cost a lot of money and are slow to deliver results.

“This is not going to be normal,” a person familiar with the group’s meetings said. Thoughts that drive their thoughts and focus on results and speed.

Donald Trump will be inaugurated as president for his second term less than a month from now, on January 20. On that day he is expected to sign several major executive orders on the things he campaigned for. This may include the space program, but perhaps that will wait until later in his administration.

One source said the space reform group has been preparing ideas for Trump’s public speeches, including his interest in Mars. For example, during a campaign speech this fall, Trump mentioned SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who played a major role during the campaign in terms of time and money, and his desire to land on Mars.

“We are leading in space in Russia and China… It is my plan, I will talk to Elon,” Trump said in September. “Elon get the rocket ships because we want to get to Mars before my time is up, and we also want to have a great defense system in space.”

Points to Consider

The transition team has been discussing possible issues in the executive order or other policy guidelines. It includes:

• Setting the goal of sending people to the Moon and Mars, by 2028
• Banning the expensive Space Launch System rocket and possibly the Orion
• Consolidating Goddard Space Flight Center and Ames Research Center at Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama
• Keeping a limited administration in Washington, DC, but moving the headquarters to the sports center
• A quick update to the Artemis moon program to make it more efficient