Bridenstine's Vision For A Re-focused NASA

NASA Nominee Jim Bridenstine Has Bold Vision for Space, Unclear Intentions for Science, American Institute of Physics

"Concerning NASA, [Bridenstine's] bill states that the agency has lacked a "clear purpose or mission," owing to a "lack of consistency in leadership along with budget uncertainty in out-years." It declares,

"NASA should undergo reorganization, altering its mission with a clearer focus, ridding itself of extraneous responsibilities handled elsewhere within the Federal Government or private industry, and standardizing activities across the whole of NASA."

In the bill, Bridenstine proposes that NASA amend its institutional objectives, which would include eliminating current objectives for the "expansion of human knowledge of the Earth and of phenomena in the atmosphere and space" and the conduct of studies on "the utilization of aeronautical and space activities for peaceful and scientific purposes." It would also set three new objectives that would form the core of a new "pioneering doctrine":

"(1) The expansion of the human sphere of influence throughout the Solar System. (2) To be among those who first arrive at a destination in space and to open it for subsequent use and development by others. (3) To create and prepare infrastructure precursors in support of the future use and development of space by others."

Legal Basis For NASA Earth Science and Space Commercialization Activities, earlier Post

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