Although details are in flux, the transition team is reviewing NASA And its activities have begun to draft potential executive orders for changes to space policy under the Trump administration.
Sources familiar with the five people on the team, which have spent the past six weeks assessing the space agency and its exploration plans, noted that such teams are advisory in nature. They do not formally set policy nor is their work always indicative of which direction the incoming presidential administration will move.
Nevertheless, in trying to set clear goals for NASA and civilian space policy, the ideas under consideration reflect the Trump administration's desire to make “major changes” at NASA, both in terms of increasing the effectiveness and pace of its programs.
not business as usual
The transition team is grappling with an agency that has an abundance of field centers – ten spread across the United States, plus a formal headquarters in Washington, D.C. – and large, slow-moving programs that cost a lot of money. It cost money and was slow in delivering results.
“It won't be business as usual,” said a person familiar with the group's meetings. The mindset driving their deliberations focuses on results and momentum.
In less than a month from now, on January 20, Donald Trump will be sworn into office for his second term. That day he is expected to sign several executive orders on issues he campaigned on. This may include space policy, but more likely it will wait until he becomes president.
One source said the space transition team is working on ideas that Trump has talked about publicly, including his interest in Mars. For example, during a campaign speech this fall, Trump mentioned SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who played a key role during the campaign in terms of both time and money, and his desire to settle Mars.
“We're ahead of Russia and China in space… That's my plan, I'll talk to Elon.” Trump said in September“Elon pushed those rocket ships because we want to get to Mars before the end of our term, and we also want to have great military security in space.”
under consideration
The transition team is discussing possible elements of the executive order or other policy directives. they include:
- Setting a target of sending humans to the Moon and Mars by 2028
- Canceling the expensive Space Launch System rocket and possibly the Orion spacecraft
- Consolidating Goddard Space Flight Center and Ames Research Center into Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama
- Maintaining a small administration presence in Washington, DC, but otherwise moving the headquarters to a field center
- The Artemis lunar program is being rapidly redesigned to make it more efficient