Washington Updates

This week, Eric Lander was sworn in as director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). NASA announced two new exciting missions, DAVINCI+ and VERITAS, to Venus at the State of NASA event. Register for the 36th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs this August Confirmed Speakers for Space Symposium include: Senator…

The space community celebrated National Space Day last week. This week, the House voted on a bundle of STEM bills and held a hearing with Administrator Nelson on the FY2022 Budget for NASA. The Senate held a nomination hearing for Pam Melroy to be Deputy Administrator of NASA, and Rick Spinrad to be Under Secretary…

This week, Vice President Harris swore in former Senator Bill Nelson as the 14th NASA Administrator. The space community celebrated May the Fourth. Register for the 36th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs this August This year Space Symposium will be a hybrid event, providing both live programming for in-person attendees, as well as digital access…

This week, the world celebrated Earth Day, and NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter successfully took its first of five scheduled flights on Mars. Later in the week, the Senate held a confirmation hearing for former Senator Bill Nelson to be the next NASA Administrator, and NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 mission successfully launched from Cape Canaveral. Also this week,…

This week, the NASA Ingenuity Mars Helicopter was safely released from its protective housing beneath the Perseverance rover on the surface of the Red Planet, has survived harsh temperatures as low as -117ºF, and also snapped its first color photo in the leadup to its first flight, anticipated to be within the next few days.…

This week, the House and Senate were both in session. President Biden nominated former Florida Senator Bill Nelson to be NASA administrator last Friday. Portions of Biden’s FY2022 budget request are expected to be released this week, which will allow appropriators to start on their NASA and defense budget deliberations next week. Prerelease: ‘The Space…