Donald Trump’s pick for NASA head, billionaire Jared Isaacman, should worry anyone who cares about space.
  • TimLovesTech@badatbeing.socialEnglish
    591·
    2 years ago

    Cool, let’s make NASA even more about capitalism instead of science, what could go wrong? And surely we won’t see NASA funding funneled off to SpaceX through shady contracts either. Ugh.

  • Asafum@feddit.nl
    50·
    2 years ago

    “He’s going to drain the swamp!”

    “Trump’s pick for x: billionaire so and so”

    “Trump’s pick for y: billionaire so and so”

    “Trump’s pick for z: billionaire so and so”

    “Trump’s pick for a: billionaire so and so”

    “Trump’s pick for b: billionaire so and so”

    “Trump’s pick for c: billionaire so and so”

    • PhatalFlaw@lemmy.world
      161·
      2 years ago

      I highly doubt it. Maybe some enshitification, but NASA funding comes from Congress, and provides a LOT of jobs to a lot of different districts. Even in Republican-led legislators it has been funded at good levels, and Trump has repeatedly expressed the desire to return to the moon during his term.

      I can’t stand orange man or rocket man, but they do seem to have a desire to return to a space age that is making some progress.

    • fukhueson@lemmy.worldBanned from communityOP
      29·
      2 years ago

      I predict substantial outsourcing to SpaceX. Good for Trump/Musk, not good for NASA.

        • TachyonTele@lemm.ee
          5·
          2 years ago

          From what I’ve read he’s pretty critical of SLS. Most people are. It’s basically a sunk cost program at this point.

          SpaceX is fine as long as they do what they do best. There isn’t exactly many options out there.

        • fukhueson@lemmy.worldBanned from communityOP
          16·
          2 years ago

          A relationship between them without Trump and Musk in government has gone well. Once they both have their hands on the levers, I’m feeling it won’t be as similar as before. In addition, NASA provides an enormous amount of tools and data to the environmental and climate sciences, and I can’t imagine Trump will allow that to continue in its current form. I can only hope this guy will stand up to them if push comes to shove, like in Trump’s first administration.

            • suigenerix@lemmy.world
              4·
              2 years ago

              The problem is that people who stand up to Trump don’t last long. It’s far worse if Trump perceives he’s the one being controlled like he’s “on a leash”.

              That’s why Trump had such a massive staff turnover in his first term. For example, over 90% of his original cabinet were fired or pressured out.

              On top of that, many of Trump’s picks were imprisoned or indicted. So the odds aren’t good that his people will do the right thing.

              It’s already looking to be far worse this time, especially given the corruption we’ve already seen from him since winning the election, and before he’s even in power.