5 ms·

Total conjecture, but seeing as how the private space industry has ramped up, it would make sense to leave during such a hostile administration

WillPostForFood 7y ago
Is the current administration hostile to NASA? Today, the President signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017, which funds the U.S. government for the remainder of the fiscal year. NASA received $19.65 billion—its best budget since 2010—and the Planetary Science Division saw its budget increase to $1.846 billion—its best budget in more than ten years. http://www.planetary.org/blogs/casey-dreier/2017/fy2017-planetary-science-just-got-its-best-budget-in-years.html http://www.planetary.org/blogs/casey-dreier/2017/fy2017-plan...
- magduf 7y ago
  They also are pushing NASA to send men to the Moon before Trump leaves office, without also giving them the budget necessary to do such a task (which honestly, with any budget, is still a ridiculously short schedule). They already had one main guy at NASA just quit because he knew this plan was unrealistic.
  - TomMckenny 7y ago
    Assuming Trump does leave office after two terms.
ansible 7y ago
Where are people going to go if they want to do science? OK, the ESA, Japan, India. Maybe China. But is there anywhere else to go in the USA?
- jandrese 7y ago
  SpaceX? Or if your science isn't specifically on materials for rockets/physics for rockets/etc... you could be funded by a university or research institute and simply pay for (part of) a launch on a SpaceX rocket. NASA still does quite a bit of science work though, so I wouldn't count them out entirely. Administrations come and go. Sometimes you just gotta keep your head down and keep doing your job until someone better is voted in.
  - magduf 7y ago
    >until someone better is voted in. At this point, this seems like wishful thinking. Maybe we'll get someone better voted in in 2024, but I wouldn't count on it.
- Ididntdothis 7y ago
  NASA does a lot of science.
  - 0xffff2 7y ago
    That's the point... Private space is ramping up quickly, but they're building rockets, not doing science. If you're and American astrobiologist (for example), NASA is where you want to be. There's really no competition.

WillPostForFood 7y ago

Is the current administration hostile to NASA? Today, the President signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017, which funds the U.S. government for the remainder of the fiscal year. NASA received $19.65 billion—its best budget since 2010—and the Planetary Science Division saw its budget increase to $1.846 billion—its best budget in more than ten years. http://www.planetary.org/blogs/casey-dreier/2017/fy2017-planetary-science-just-got-its-best-budget-in-years.html http://www.planetary.org/blogs/casey-dreier/2017/fy2017-plan...

magduf 7y ago
They also are pushing NASA to send men to the Moon before Trump leaves office, without also giving them the budget necessary to do such a task (which honestly, with any budget, is still a ridiculously short schedule). They already had one main guy at NASA just quit because he knew this plan was unrealistic.
- TomMckenny 7y ago
  Assuming Trump does leave office after two terms.

ansible 7y ago

Where are people going to go if they want to do science? OK, the ESA, Japan, India. Maybe China. But is there anywhere else to go in the USA?

jandrese 7y ago
SpaceX? Or if your science isn't specifically on materials for rockets/physics for rockets/etc... you could be funded by a university or research institute and simply pay for (part of) a launch on a SpaceX rocket. NASA still does quite a bit of science work though, so I wouldn't count them out entirely. Administrations come and go. Sometimes you just gotta keep your head down and keep doing your job until someone better is voted in.
- magduf 7y ago
  >until someone better is voted in. At this point, this seems like wishful thinking. Maybe we'll get someone better voted in in 2024, but I wouldn't count on it.
Ididntdothis 7y ago
NASA does a lot of science.
- 0xffff2 7y ago
  That's the point... Private space is ramping up quickly, but they're building rockets, not doing science. If you're and American astrobiologist (for example), NASA is where you want to be. There's really no competition.