President-elect Trump – Human Space Exploration Update

Trump Transition and Space:  What does a Trump administration mean for space?  The president-elect’s space focus could be human spaceflight, technology development and commercialization, according to remarks from Robert Walker, the former U.S. congressman who covered nine points in a pre-election day briefing before the Federal Aviation Administration’s Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee. Walker, who acted as a space policy adviser to Donald Trump, however, cautioned his audience against counting on more funding.  (See also: Trump: “I will free NASA” from being just a LEO space logistics agency, Pence promises to reinvigorate space program, NASA’s popular, but that only goes so far in Washington

Rep. Bridenstine on Space:  Bridenstine: This is our Sputnik moment & the Moon will ensure U.S. preeminence in space  Human cislunar and lunar activities, including the industrial extractions of ice from the Moon’s poles to produce propellants to re-fuel satellites and valuable platinum metals for high tech applications, are essential to America’s future pre-eminence in space, according to Rep. Jim Bridenstine. The Oklahoma congressman and member of the House Science, Space and Technology and Armed Services committees spoke before NASA’s Lunar Exploration and Analysis Group in Maryland.  (See also:  http://spacenews.com/nasa-administrator-bridenstine-his-names-in-the-mix-for-trumps-space-team/)

Citizens for Space Exploration – a pro-space, taxpayer, grassroots advocacy group (http://www.bayareahouston.com/content/c_s_e/c_s_e) – has traveled to Washington, D.C. the past 24 years to meet face-to-face with Members/staff of Congress to discuss the value of America’s investment in space exploration. In order to sustain that dialogue on a regular basis, Citizens distributes “Space Exploration Update” to Congressional offices on a weekly basis. The intent is to provide an easy, quick way to stay abreast of key human space exploration program and policy developments.