Permanent moon colony called 'a critical national security and economic concern.'
Speakers at the hearing, before a panel of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, stressed the national security and economic importance of the space agency’s Subcommittee members also issued hands-off warnings – sometimes subtle, sometimes overt – to Elon Musk, the billionaire administrator of the new Department of Government Efficiency.
Musk’s DOGE has been implementing President Donald Trump’sRep. Mike Haridopolos of Florida, the Republican chairman of the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, called the moon “our critical stepping stone … every step we take toward the moon is a giant leap toward Mars.manages the Space Launch System rocket program and the lunar landing aspects of the program, as well as developing software and building adapters for various stages of the spacecraft. Marshall and its contracting driveIn remarks to the panel, Daniel Dumbacher, a former NASA executive and currently professor of engineering at Purdue University, said the U.S. is at a crossroads of leadership in space. China, in particular, is “outplanning and outpacing us” in the drive to become dominant in space, he said. “This is a critical national security and economic concern.” Scott Pace, director of the Space Policy Institute at the George Washington University, lauded the goals of Artemis but called for a more streamlined approach and more frequent flights. He recommended NASA rely more on industry to provide heavy lift options for Earth-to-the-moon payloads that go beyond the single-use Space Launch System. SpaceX dominates this market now, but Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance are testing launch platforms – both of the latterin colonizing Mars, along with significant financial interests in private space exploration. He is also a skeptic of the importance of the U.S. moon-first policy. InSubcommittee members pushed back on that idea, though Musk’s name came up only occasionally. Rep. Brian Babin, a Texas Republican and chairman of the committee, noted Congress first directed NASA in 2005 to colonize the moon before Mars. Space exploration, he said, “requires that the government maintain continuity of purpose over the course of several years. Changing direction isn’t free, and it is incredibly taxing on the United States industrial base.” Rep. Valerie Foushee of North Carolina, the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee, suggested the “chaos, confusion, and cruelty” that federal workers have faced due to the threat of downsizing could put the U.S. behind China in the race to the moon. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif, expressed “concern about the unprecedented influence Elon Musk seems to have over strategic direction in this administration.” She suggested Musk’s interest in Mars before -- or instead of – the moon was not only self-serving but also bad policy. Dumbacher noted there is no global competition to land humans on Mars, while the race to the moon is intense. A permanent presence on the moon before China, he said, would let the U.S. “establish the rules of the road, reap the economic benefits and retain the high ground.”“While people can have their personal interest in how to go about space exploration … the sequential steps Congress has laid out are in the national interest,” Pace said.Multimillion-dollar Air Force contract awarded to Huntsville company If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our
@River-State @Exvideo @Sub-Group-C @Sub-Group-B @Subscriberexclusive
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Not Even DOGE Employees Know Who's Legally Running DOGEDespite all appearances, the White House insists that Elon Musk is not in charge of DOGE. US Doge Service employees can’t get a straight answer about who is.
Read more »
DOGE's Leadership in Chaos: Who's Really Running the US DOGE Service?Despite President Trump and Elon Musk repeatedly affirming Musk's leadership of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a new court filing reveals a confusing truth: no one knows who's in charge. The White House remains tight-lipped, even employees within the US DOGE Service are left in the dark. Joshua Fisher, director of the White House Office of Administration, stated Musk's formal role is merely 'senior advisor' with no greater authority than other White House advisors, raising questions about Musk's actual standing within the organization. This lack of clarity comes amidst multiple lawsuits surrounding DOGE's activities, leaving the future of the department uncertain.
Read more »
DOGE Claims of Savings Debunked: Are Musk and DOGE Committing Fraud?Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) asserts it's saving taxpayers billions. However, their claims appear fraudulent, with a reported $8 billion diversity program costing just $8 million. DOGE's website editing history reveals repeated attempts to correct the error, raising questions about their transparency and accountability.
Read more »
Huntsville’s economy can withstand DOGE job cuts, congressman says: Trump ‘campaigned on this’'They said you’ve got to reduce the debt ... We’ve got to reel that money back in,' Rep. Dale Strong said.
Read more »
House Democrats raise ‘deep alarm’ over potential DOGE conflict of interest at NASAA new letter addressed to acting NASA chief Janet Petro calls out the space agency for failing to answer questions raised by lawmakers earlier this month.
Read more »
DeSantis announces DOGE task force to slash government waste in Florida“We were DOGE before DOGE was cool,” DeSantis said.
Read more »