Confusion At NASA Over The America First National Space Strategy

President Donald J. Trump is Unveiling an America First National Space Strategy

"AMERICA FIRST AMONG THE STARS: President Trump's National Space Strategy works within his broader national security policy by putting America's interests first."

Keith's note: At the USRA/SPI Moon exploration event yesterday in Washington D.C, I asked NASA HEOMD's Jason Crusan about the apparent mismatch between NASA policy and the recently-released White House Policy titled "America First National Space Strategy". I noted that HEOMD AA Bill Gerstenmaier told a NASA Advisory Council committee the other day said the whole Lunar Outpost Gateway thing can be done on a flat budget with no adjustment for inflation. Of course, NASA never does big projects on time or within budget - Space Station, Webb, SLS being prominent examples. But NASA sells the Gateway concept with a significant role for international partners and the private sector with lots of cooperation i.e. NASA does not call all the shots. This global approach does have some positive aspects for many people.

Yet the White House's "America First" space policy is rather blunt in its intention that it wants a space policy that "prioritizes American interests first and foremost, ensuring a strategy that will make America strong, competitive, and great" and "ensures that international agreements put the interests of American people, workers, and businesses first." This does not sound too much like cooperation. I asked Crusan how he reconciled these two different approaches. Crusan tossed lots of pop management phrases out (he was clearly unprepared to talk about this White House policy document). Then he made one cogent observation: "it's a balancing act".

Oh yes: There is no mention of this official White House space policy document at NASA.gov. Nor has NASA released anything about it to the media. Stay tuned for more "balancing".

from NASA Watch https://ift.tt/2GBig05
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