Incoming NASA Administrator Throws Elon Musk's Mars Plans Under the Bus

Incoming NASA administrator and billionaire fighter jet pilot-turned-SpaceX astronaut Jared Isaacman isn't keen on president Donald Trump's purported goal of brutally slashing the space agency's science budget nearly in half. As SpaceNews reports, Isaacman called the White House's proposed budgets not an "optimal outcome" in published responses to questions by bipartisan members of the Senate Commerce Committee this week. The private astronaut claimed that he had "not reviewed or been party to any official discussions" regarding the leaked budget proposal. Earlier this month, Isaacman attended a confirmation hearing in front of Congress. His nomination is expected to face a full Congressional vote on April 30. In his latest answers to questions, Isaacman also vowed to get NASA's Artemis program to return astronauts to the lunar surface "back on track." When asked if he had to choose between the Moon or Mars — a destination SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has singled out as the number one pri ... Read full article.