Nasa head of human spaceflight resigns days before 'historic' space mission

Re:Nasa head of human spaceflight resigns days before 'histo... by swalsh on Wednesday May 20, 2020 @09:43AM (#23246679)

Given the creation of the new Space Force, it's hard to justify NASA on defense related stuff, and given the build up of the private space industry, it's probably going to be even less important. Deep down, I personally want NASA to still be important, I still think exploration has value. But that has always seemed like a side benefit from working on the "important" stuff.

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Re:Nasa head of human spaceflight resigns days before 'histo... by ceejayoz on Wednesday May 20, 2020 @09:55AM (#23246785)

> Given the creation of the new Space Force, it's hard to justify NASA on defense related stuff...

The "new Space Force" is just a renaming of existing assets (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_Space_Command). Hell, it's still under the Department of the Air Force and its Secretary.

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Re:Nasa head of human spaceflight resigns days before 'histo... by koheripbal on Wednesday May 20, 2020 @09:59AM (#23246827)

Space Force budget is skyrocketing. New assets are on the way.

My guess is that it's purpose is ABM.

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Re:Nasa head of human spaceflight resigns days before 'histo... by ceejayoz on Wednesday May 20, 2020 @10:30AM (#23247221)

> Space Force budget is skyrocketing.

As with the staffing, that's largely just a transfer from the Air Force.

https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/first-budget-request-for-...

> Most of the funding for Space Force in the F2021 request simply reflects shuffling funds into the new account structure, but an Air Force official said today there is a $900 million increase compared to FY2020.

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Re:Nasa head of human spaceflight resigns days before 'histo... by ethbro on Wednesday May 20, 2020 @10:18AM (#23247055)

Seen through the most charitable glasses, the purpose of Soace Force is that any major-power shooting war is now likely to involve rapid space-based asset degradation.

Fighting such a war without a unified command over the theater in which that action unfolds seems destined for failure.

And failure to preserve or triumph in space substantially degrades planetary military capabilities.

So really, Space Force is an expression of "space is important to all the other military things we do now."

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Re:Nasa head of human spaceflight resigns days before 'histo... by lstodd on Wednesday May 20, 2020 @01:23PM (#23249404)

ABM is pointless. Too easy to saturate aka ddos it.

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Re:Nasa head of human spaceflight resigns days before 'histo... by 0xffff2 on Wednesday May 20, 2020 @01:38PM (#23249590)

>Given the creation of the new Space Force, it's hard to justify NASA on defense related stuff

NASA is a civilian agency. It isn't and never has been justified by anything related to military defense.

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