Posted on 03/20/2021 1:40:30 PM PDT by rarestia
President Biden plans to nominate former Florida Sen. Bill Nelson (D) to serve as administrator of NASA, the White House said Friday.
If confirmed, Nelson, who served in the Senate for 18 years, will helm NASA as it carries out its Artemis program by working with private companies to establish a presence on the moon with the ambitious goal of reaching Mars in the coming years.
Biden’s plans to nominate Nelson were first reported by The Verge and other news outlets on Thursday and confirmed by the White House on Friday.
Nelson, who is 78, served three terms representing Florida in the Senate but lost to current GOP Sen. Rick Scott in 2018. Nelson served alongside Biden when he represented Delaware in the upper chamber.
During his time in the Senate, Nelson served in leadership positions on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and was a vocal advocate for the U.S. space program during his government service. Nelson also served in the House of Representatives and in Florida’s state legislature before he was elected to the upper chamber.
Nelson himself flew on the space shuttle Columbia in 1986 and spent six days in orbit when he was in Congress and was serving as the chair of a House subcommittee overseeing space science and applications. Nelson’s district at the time included the Kennedy Space Center.
Nelson will need to be confirmed by the Senate in order to helm NASA. His relationships with lawmakers in the upper chamber that he formed as a senator are likely to help him move toward confirmation in the 50-50 Senate.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) issued a statement Friday morning strongly backing Nelson’s nomination.
“I cannot think of anyone better to lead NASA than Bill Nelson,” Rubio said.
“There has been no greater champion, not just for Florida's space industry, but for the space program as a whole than Bill. His nomination gives me confidence that the Biden Administration finally understands the importance of the Artemis program, and the necessity of winning the 21st century space race. I look forward to supporting Bill’s swift confirmation, and working with him in the years to come.”
Steve Jurczyk, who was NASA’s highest-ranking civil servant during the Trump administration, is currently serving as acting NASA administrator.
Nelson is 78, and he’s got the Biden Look.
“Nelson himself flew on the space shuttle Columbia in 1986 and spent six days in orbit when he was in Congress”
In a grotesque display of self serving corruption by a non-technical nobody who had no business taking up a seat that could have been occupied by any one of thousands of technically competent engineers, pilots or actual scientists.
These swamp fossils just won’t go away gracefully.
LOL - “the Biden Look”
It’s apparently becoming quite popular in DC recently.
Other than his age I don’t have a problem with this. I can’t see how Nelson could introduce politics into this position.
If NASA still hopes to send human beings to Mars, then the logical person to head the agency is Sheila Jackson Lee (unless she has followed Biden’s hint and renamed herself Shirley). She is rather knowledgeable about Mars.
Bill Nelson? That old fossil?
Figurehead, just like Hidin’ Biden.
And Rubio has to suck up like the swish he is.
Hey Rubio, I can think of someone far better than a leftover retread octogenarian. How about Jim Bridenstein?
SMDH! Butt, putting another old guard dem in a position of power(?) seems like a nice gesture. Best and brightest building back better. “Baizou” No doubt billy will try to ban AR-15s in space since he’s an avid anti-gunner despite being an owner. Nobody NEEDS an ass-salt weapon.
NASA is back to Muslim outreach at last!
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/obamas-new-mission-for-nasa-reach-out-to-muslim-world
Thanks, Obola!
He and Bidet will be hid’n. the week before Thanksgiving!
I can’t think of a more partisan NASA director than this guy. Can anyone else. Sure, Nelson is a former astronaut, but he’s also a politician. Have we ever nominated a politician for that job before?
Not that I can remember.
I think folks here know that what NASA needs is someone young with true vision to shake the bureaucracy out of its doldrums.
This guy sounds like someone chosen to make lots of excuses why they _still_ can’t get man back to the moon after fifty years, then fifty five years, then sixty years...
Oh yeah, I know, the dog ate their homework.
If we are lucky, someone could convince her, that she should be an honorary astronaut on the first flight to Mars.
Uh, he flew on the shuttle. It only means he went to space.
Are you kidding me?
Isn’t he wearing diapers by now, again?
Innovation always comes from octogenarians...
Other than his age? Do you think that’s a small thing?
Name great ideas, and innovations, that came from 78 y/o people.
He should be planning his funeral.
I think that’s my point. He’s a placeholder. He’s not radical and can’t do any harm. Compared to the other idiots Biden has nominated I think Nelson is benign.
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