NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — The congressman whose district comprises NASA’s Goddard Area Flight Middle says he takes a wait-and-see strategy to doable adjustments to the middle through the upcoming Trump management.
In short remarks on the 245th Assembly of the American Astronomical Society right here Jan. 13, Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) mentioned he would paintings to stay NASA shifting “in the precise course” because the Trump management takes workplace later this month.
“I wish to be sure I do the whole thing that I will be able to to stay science shifting in the precise course,” he mentioned, “and to stay NASA shifting in the precise course.”
The science group, together with astronomers accumulated on the convention, are concerned with doable adjustments to the company and its science methods within the new management. They’re in particular gazing what affect Elon Musk, founder and leader govt of SpaceX, can have given his shut ties to Trump.
“I haven’t met Mr. Musk but, however we’ll see what kind of adjustments he pushes for,” Ivey mentioned.
Scientists who paintings at Goddard, positioned in Ivey’s district, recalled that the primary Trump management centered for cancellation some main missions led through the middle. They integrated the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) Earth science venture and the Nancy Grace Roman Area Telescope.
Congress, on a couple of events within the first Trump time period, rejected proposals to cancel the ones and different missions. PACE introduced in February 2024 and Roman stays on finances and time table for a release through Would possibly 2027.
In an interview after his speech, Ivey mentioned he had noticed “some issues floating round” about adjustments the incoming management would possibly search to make to Goddard and its methods. One query, he mentioned, would be the stage of affect Musk can have on NASA methods as opposed to the White Space and company management.
“I’m now not precisely certain the way it’s going to play out, however my hope is that they are able to work out some way to give protection to science, give protection to R&D,” he mentioned. “It can be that the one voices that they’re paying attention to are voices that maintain protection or competing with China, however the ones are compatible to what we wish to do general as smartly.”
He added he used to be open to proposals to greater commercialization of NASA methods, mentioning the development through SpaceX. “They’re doing a little stuff that’s in truth lovely attention-grabbing and environment friendly.”
Ivey mentioned he has but to fulfill with Jared Isaacman, who Trump introduced closing month used to be his pick out to be NASA administrator. He famous Isaacman would most likely be focusing his congressional outreach for now at the Senate, which should verify his nomination. He projected that affirmation would happen round March, after senators maintain nominees for Cupboard posts.
Whilst he has now not met Isaacman, Ivey urged that he supported the nomination. “I don’t thoughts a contemporary get started.”
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