Biden / Harris Administration To Continue Artemis Moon To Mars Objective As New NASA Leadership Forms
Former Senator And Payload Specialist Bill Nelson Expected To Be Confirmed As 14th NASA Administrator On 21 April, Former Space Shuttle Commander Pam Melroy Is Deputy Administrator Nominee; 2022 Discretionary Budget Request Includes US$24.7B For NASA – A 6.3% ($1.5B) Increase Over 2021, With $6.9B Dedicated To Artemis Program, A $325M Increase; Space Technology R&D Also Sees $325M Increase To $1.4B, Earth Science Increased $250M To $2.3B; In Addition To First Woman, Administrators Have New Goal To Send First Person Of Color To Moon, Possibly By 4 July 2026, Via $2.9B SpaceX Moonship
Credits: NASA OIG, SpaceX
NASA Moon Rover VIPER Meets Risk, Cost And Schedule Constraints Of ‘Key Decision Point C’ Internal Assessment, Clearing Way For Operational Planning And Construction; 1.5×1.5×2.5m, 430kg Vehicle To Be Built At JSC With Instrument Input From KSC / Honeybee Robotics, Managed From Ames Research Center, Is To Land Late 2023 Via Astrobotic Griffin In MSP Region For ~100 Day Mission During Which 1-Meter TRIDENT Drill And 3 Spectrometers Will Be Controlled With Little Lag From Earth Through X Band / Deep Space Network As Volatile-Seeking Mission Traverses 20km
Administrator Jim Bridenstine Signals Term Will Not Extend Into Biden/Harris Government, Reported By Aerospace Daily; Current NASA Head Ranks “Continuity Of Purpose” As Vital Aspect Of Program Success, Which Has Seen Lunar Progress Stymied By Inter-Administration Reprioritization In Past; “Bipartisan, Apolitical… Strong Support For Artemis” Found On “Both Sides Of The Aisle”, Bridenstine Assures; With Appointment 23 April 2018, The 13th NASA Administration May Be Shorter In Duration Than Historically Typical, However Achievements (Building Artemis Coalition, Human Lander Contracts) Have Significantly Advanced Space / Lunar Exploration Momentum
Administrator Jim Bridenstine Says NASA Wants To Recreate “The Awe Of Apollo For A New Generation – The Artemis Generation” By Utilizing Contemporary And Innovative Visual Technologies Such As High Definition Recording, Wide Angle/Panoramic Lenses, Virtual Reality, Digital Compression, Selfie Sticks And Body Cameras During Artemis II, 2023; Media, Academia, Industry, Organizations And Individuals Are Encouraged To Submit Imagery Ideas NLT 11 Dec; Bridenstine Widely Praised Within Space Community For Deftly Steering Major Powers Toward Moon Exploration Coalition Despite Uncertain Political Realities, And Ought To Be Retained
