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Politico
3 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
Space Race 2.0
With help from Connor O'Brien and Alex Nieves WELCOME TO POLITICO PRO SPACE. NASA interim administrator Sean Duffy made a splash this week with his first directives at the agency, including advancing plans for a nuclear reactor on the moon. What's your opinion of the new administrator? Should President Donald Trump just keep him in the post or continue the search for a permanent head? Email me at sskove@ with tips, pitches and feedback, and find me on X at @samuelskove. And remember, we're offering this newsletter for free over the next few weeks. After that, only POLITICO Pro subscribers will receive it. Read all about it. The Spotlight The Pentagon has poured millions of dollars into preparing for a threat from Beijing on land and at sea. But U.S. officials increasingly worry they're missing the chance to tackle another big risk: China in space. Rep. Brian Babin (R-Texas), chair of the committee that oversees NASA, warned this week that American astronauts might land on the moon and be greeted by a 'no trespassing' sign in Mandarin if the U.S. doesn't step up. Some of the rhetoric is akin to orbital debris. But the U.S. does face challenges from China in both military and commercial space. Beijing could weaponize satellites and other tools to prevent the U.S. from helping Taiwan — or anyone else — in a conflict. And if the Chinese government plants a flag on the moon, it could bar American access to lucrative new resources on the lunar surface. China ascendant: Beijing is second only to America in its vast array of space capabilities, according to Chinese space expert Blaine Curcio. And, in some cases, it now surpasses the U.S. For example, China in July attempted the first-ever satellite refueling in orbit. China is also figuring out how to knock out satellites that allow the U.S. to communicate in the Pacific, said Dean Cheng, a nonresident fellow at the Space Policy Institute. 'The Chinese have been very carefully and assiduously developing an array of military counter space options.' But the commercial use of many space tools makes it harder to figure out what's actually a threat. Chinese satellites that can move debris, for instance, may also be able to eviscerate an American satellite. 'China isn't big on transparency,' said Victoria Samson, a space expert at the Secure World Foundation, a space-focused think tank. Moon dance: China also has plans to land an astronaut on the moon by 2030 and set up a permanent base. Such a move would dent American prestige, as it would no longer be the only nation to land on the lunar surface. It would also allow Beijing to write the terms for potentially lucrative space exploration. 'We're in a race to the moon, in a race with China to the moon,' Duffy said Tuesday at a press conference. China already has shown it can pull off complex uncrewed lunar missions. Beijing recently used its Chang'e 6 to land a rover on the moon and return samples to Earth. The U.S. aims to return to the lunar surface in 2027, before China gets there. But the timeline has slipped before due to spacecraft issues, and it could happen again. Room for hope: Beijing has been less successful when it comes to the commercial sector, which the U.S. dominates. Think reusable rockets and low-earth satellite constellations such as Starlink. This is despite the Chinese government's effort to supercharge the growth of a commercial space sector through investments and other support, such as free land or factory space. But so far, there are more companies than space services. 'You have this absence of real demand,' Curcio said. 'And then you've also had all this government money coming in and creating oversupply in some situations.' The high number of companies may also dilute the ability of any single firm since they're competing for the same specialized engineering talent, he said. 'You're not going to really have a critical mass of highly talented rocket scientists working for any one company.' Galactic Government SpaceX vs. California: The fight between Elon Musk's SpaceX and the California agency tasked with protecting the state's coastline is back on. Space Force officials will stand in front of the California Coastal Commission next week with a plan to double the company's rocket launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base from 50 to 95 per year. And the agency staff is recommending commissioners reject it. 'The simple fact remains that it is a privately owned company engaged in activities primarily for its own commercial business,' staff said in a Friday report. 'It is not a public federal agency or conducting its launches on behalf of the federal government.' That argument mirrors commissioners' pushback in October when they rejected an increase from 36 to 50 launches. SpaceX sued the agency for bias after members cited Musk's politics. Space Force ultimately moved forward with the increase, citing federal preemption and national security considerations. SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment. Space Launch Delta 30 Commander Col. James T. Horne III, who oversees Vandenberg and Western operations, noted the military's 'unwavering commitment to preserving the California coastline' and said its partnership with SpaceX allows the agency to maintain 'its technological edge and strategic advantage over competitors.' Military SPACE FORCE GETS NEW NO. 2: The Space Force has a new no. 2 officer on the job. The Senate quietly approved Gen. Shawn Bratton for vice chief of space operations last week and promoted him to a four-star general before leaving town until September. He officially took over on July 31, the same day he was confirmed. Bratton succeeds Gen. Michael Guetlein, who was approved in July to oversee the nascent — and nebulous — Golden Dome missile defense shield. Bratton was most recently the Space Force's deputy chief for strategy, plans, programs and requirements. That made him a key player in the development of the recently released Space Warfighting Framework, the service's blueprint for how it would conduct war in space. He was also the first commander of the Space Training and Readiness Command, which leads training for the Space Force. He began his military career as an enlisted member of the Arizona Air National Guard. Bratton was part of a larger tranche of officers whose promotions were confirmed before the Senate recessed. The Reading Room At missile defense conference, the first rule of Golden Dome is don't talk about Golden Dome: Breaking Defense SpaceX signs deal to fly Italian experiments to Mars on Starship's 1st commercial Red Planet flights: New report details Trump DoD's space spending spree: Payload NASA's new chief has radically rewritten the rules for private space stations: Ars Technica Firefly Aerospace Surges 45% After Upsized $868 Million IPO: Bloomberg Duffy to announce nuclear reactor on the moon: POLITICO Event Horizon SUNDAY: The 39th Annual Small Satellite Conference begins. Photo of the Week
Politico
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Trump's man in NASA
With help from Laura Kayali WELCOME TO POLITICO PRO SPACE. I got the first interview with NASA chief of staff Brian Hughes, the most senior Trump administration appointee at the agency. Read on for his take on the big changes happening at NASA. What's your take on the agency's direction? Email me at sskove@ with tips, pitches and feedback, and find me on X at @samuelskove. And remember, we're offering this newsletter for free over the next few weeks. After that, only POLITICO Pro subscribers will receive it. Read all about it here. The Spotlight Few space nerds could have predicted Brian Hughes' rise from Florida political operative and former National Security Council spokesperson to one of the most powerful figures at NASA. It started in June when billionaire Jared Isaacman was all set to take over as NASA administrator — only to see that job yanked away amid a bitter fight between his prospective boss, President Donald Trump, and his old business partner, Elon Musk. When the dust settled, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy was left in charge as 'interim' NASA director, with a slate of big tasks. The agency must plan a mission to the moon and then Mars, deal with proposed budget cuts that decimate science research, and handle a staff exodus. It's still not clear who is leading space policy at the White House, and it may be months until NASA has a permanent administrator. Enter Hughes, who amid the turmoil, became the agency's chief of staff. Hughes, in his first public interview since taking the job in May, laid out what he sees as the agency's priorities, and responded to concerns about its future. Florida man: Hughes, who doesn't have a background in space, let alone NASA, is not your typical chief of staff — although he does say he's 'a proud member of nerds of America.' But Hughes brings along an important qualification. He's close to the White House, thanks to his role leading Trump's Florida campaign and his long history working with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. To-do list: Hughes' top goals for NASA include pulling off a moon landing, supporting space commercialization, making progress toward sending astronauts to Mars and replacing the aging International Space Station. Moon vs. Mars: To the relief of moon advocates, Hughes suggested that NASA wouldn't follow along with Musk's dreams of ditching a moon mission in favor of Mars. NASA will pursue the 'moon as a pathway towards Mars, but really a focus on the moon in the short term,' he told me. Brain drain defense: NASA has seen nearly 4,000 employees walk out the door in the wake of proposed massive cuts and Trump administration efforts to thin the federal government. Hughes pushed back on the idea that the losses were devastating to the agency, even though most of the departures are senior level positions. 'I don't think there's any critical loss' of knowledge, he said. The agency is working to limit the impact by staggering departures, he added, and sixty percent of those who are leaving are at retirement age. 'Even when some senior people have left, there's an additional cadre behind them,' Hughes said. Budget battle: But the biggest storm clouds he'll likely face involve the coming battle between Congress and the White House over the NASA budget. The White House wants a cut of almost 25 percent, the biggest slash to the agency in decades. Congress would like to keep NASA funding where it is, and lawmakers aren't backing down. Hughes — perhaps hopefully — suggested that Congress and the White House could reach common ground as they work on the budget. 'It'll be like anything else — manage the consensus and respect the will of Congress,' he said. Galactic Government READY FOR LAUNCH: The U.S. has made progress in encouraging the mad scientists behind America's growing rocket launch industry. But the government needs to spread the financial love if it wants to keep costs low and the country secure, according to a new paper provided exclusively to me from the Progressive Policy Institute. One company — United Launch Alliance — used to dominate the launch industry. But the military and NASA now have more than a half dozen to choose from, including SpaceX, Rocket Lab and Blue Origin. Monopoly: While more choices are usually good for business, government buying patterns mean that the U.S. could end up with fewer launch providers than it needs, according to report author Mary Guenther, head of space policy at the Progressive Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank. NASA, for example, could buy from a range of companies. But it still contracts with SpaceX for more than 60 percent of its missions. 'The agency needs to reassess its acquisition policies to avoid a relationship of convenience with SpaceX,' she wrote. It's regulation: Guenther also flagged a lack of launch infrastructure and a tough regulatory environment as an obstacle to the growth of the market. A lack of staffing at the office that licenses launches, for example, means the office must triage applications, a practice that Guenther said often favors SpaceX. Why it matters: The risk of relying on any one rocket company burst into view in early June during a rift between Trump and Musk, SpaceX's founder. Trump threatened to cancel government contracts with the billionaire, causing Musk to say he would cancel SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, the only way for the U.S. to get to and from the International Space Station without relying on Russia. Fortunately for American astronauts, he did not follow through. Military THE TRUMP BUMP: While European governments remain highly dependent on U.S. weaponry, fears about Trump's unreliability are fueling them to try and buy local. That's especially true in the space domain. Rafał Modrzewski, the CEO of Finnish-based satellite company ICEYE, said in an interview that he saw a direct correlation between Trump's temporary decision to stop sharing space intelligence with Ukraine in March and a boost in government demand for his firm's military satellites. 'That was a huge wake-up call for countries contemplating whether they should own their own satellites or rather lease from allied nations and benefit from intelligence sharing,' he said. The European Commission has identified space-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance as a key gap in European arsenals. Europe and beyond: ICEYE customers include NATO, Ukraine, Poland, Greece, Finland and Portugal. The company is also active in Japan, South Korea, the UAE and is hoping to increase its footprint in Brazil. Caveat: ICEYE satellites are mainly launched by American company SpaceX. Oops. The Reading Room Silicon valley enters the space race: POLITICO What is the FAA planning for rocket launch licenses?: Payload Musk ordered shutdown of Starlink satellite service as Ukraine retook territory from Russia: Reuters Air leak persists on Russian ISS segment: SpaceNews India safely launches a $1.5 billion satellite for NASA: Ars Technica Event Horizon MONDAY: The Mitchell Institute holds a webinar with Lt. Gen. DeAnna Burt of the Space Force. WEDNESDAY: The Intelligence and National Security Association holds a meeting on securing space. THURSDAY: The Federal Communications Commission holds an open meeting that will include discussion of space. The Progressive Policy Institute hosts a 'Space & National Security Happy Hour' at Hawk 'N' Dove. Photo of the Week MORNING MONEY: CAPITAL RISK — POLITICO's flagship financial newsletter has a new Friday edition built for the economic era we're living in: one shaped by political volatility, disruption and a wave of policy decisions with sector-wide consequences. Each week, Morning Money: Capital Risk brings sharp reporting and analysis on how political risk is moving markets and how investors are adapting. Want to know how health care regulation, tariffs or court rulings could ripple through the economy? Start here. (To sign up, add Financial Services to your policy interests and then add Morning Money to your newsletters.)
Politico
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Politico
NASA's space station blues
With help from John Hendel, Camille von Kaenel and Tyler Katzenberger WELCOME TO POLITICO PRO SPACE. I've been reading how rocket science pioneer Wernher von Braun first floated the idea for what would become NASA's International Space Station in 1952. Check out the wild illustrations. What do you think the U.S. needs in a space station? Email me at sskove@ with tips, pitches and feedback, and find me on X at @samuelskove. And remember, we're offering this newsletter for free over the next few weeks. After that, it will be available only to POLITICO Pro subscribers. Read all about it here. The Spotlight After two billion miles and nearly three decades, NASA is ready to trade in its old, leaky space station for a flashy new one. The problem: NASA can't decide what it wants. A sleek research base? A bare bones structure? A hotel where tourists rub shoulders with astronauts? The indecision could bankrupt space companies, crank up tensions with Congress and leave astronauts without a long-term home in near-Earth orbit. The International Space Station is essential for research that could lead to humans living in space, as well as thousands of other science experiments that inform everything from cancer treatments to robotics. Tell you what I want: NASA is supposed to give companies a peek by late June at what it wants in a space station. The agency would like a commercially-operated one in orbit by 2029, and aims to crash the ISS into the ocean in 2031. These plans became even more critical this month after an air leak on its space station delayed the visit of four astronauts. NASA, at the last minute, canceled a long-planned May event to discuss its goals for a new one, an ominous sign of the space agency's commitment to the mission. The meeting was supposed to help lay the groundwork for what NASA would ask for in June, but officials haven't rescheduled it. The only language companies have to go on — such as 'solve Earth's challenges' — is vague at best. Businesses that hope to make millions off space stations want clarity in order to lure investors and spend wisely. 'Companies can raise the capital necessary to build and launch a space station, but only if the U.S. government makes the plan clear,' said Jared Stout, chief global policy officer at space station company Axiom. About your old ride: Congress is also worried. 'We're all anxious to see that [request for proposal] come out sometime this summer,' said a Senate Republican Committee aide, granted anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. 'We really do need to start seeing NASA make some serious moves here.' Lawmakers are talking with NASA about the program to ensure it stays on track, the aide said. But if the space agency fails to make headway by early fall, when NASA faces a deadline to make clear what it wants, they may consider more serious levels of oversight. (Think hearings or rearranging funding.) They may be waiting awhile. NASA is operating with only an acting administrator until at least the fall, and isn't getting much direction from the White House. That makes it tough for the agency to move forward with any major decisions. NASA didn't respond to our requests for comment. Out of gas: The longer NASA waits, the fewer bidders it will have left. Space stations are expensive. Axiom estimates a four-module station costs $3 billion. NASA only forks out a few hundred million dollars each year in awards. That means companies have to win over the handful of investors who have both the deep pockets and risk tolerance to bet on a space station, said Alex MacDonald, NASA's former chief economist. NASA's refusal so far to choose one or two companies is another potential problem for investors, he said, as it makes it less clear who to bet on. The ISS can limp along for a bit longer. The station could even extend its service life past 2030, although a lack of spare parts will make it increasingly hard to run. Eventually, the bill will come due — and a bold experiment in living in space may grind to an end. Spectrum SKY HIGH DREAMS FOR BROADBAND: Elon Musk, who has had a tough month, may finally get a win. The Trump administration just handed satellite companies a victory in overhauling a $42 billion program meant to expand internet to underserved areas. Give satellite a chance: The original version of the infrastructure grant program relegated satellite broadband to a lower status reserved for extremely remote regions. The new rules, released June 6 and spearheaded by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, wipe out technology preferences. They put satellites on par with fiber, wireless and other tech. Lutnick stressed a desire to make deployments 'cheap.' That could benefit Musk's satellite broadband offering, Starlink, and possibly Project Kuiper, a similar service from Amazon that's yet to sign up private customers. States have a say too, though, and can choose not to spend the money on satellites. Funny timing: Another curious detail: The program's satellite-friendly revamp arrived right after President Donald Trump threatened Musk's government subsidies, seemingly undercutting the seriousness of the president's promise to hurt his former ally's business. The administration wouldn't say whether the White House is considering further changes but stressed it's 'exploring all options' to deliver broadband effectively. Some states were scheduled to begin installing internet networks this year, but the overhaul bumped that into at least 2026. Lutnick said he hopes to release the money by year's end. Now or never: Some Republicans don't want to wait. 'I would rather have our money now,' Sen. Shelley Moore Capito ( a member of GOP leadership, told John. Advocacy groups and Democrats, meanwhile, worry who will actually benefit. 'It feels like they're just stalling things to reward some of their wealthy friends,' Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), the top Democrat on the telecom subcommittee, told John. In the States MUSK VS CALIFORNIA: One of Musk's favorite foes is under new leadership — and already girding itself for battle. California's Coastal Commission, which set off a row with the SpaceX founder last year when it rejected the company's plan for increased rocket launches, elected new leaders last week to help oversee the agency tasked with protecting the state's coast. That includes new chair Meagan Harmon, who hails from Santa Barbara County, home of Vandenberg Space Force Base, and vice chair Caryl Hart, a former parks director who also served as chair during the agency's SpaceX decision. As our own Camille von Kaenel reports, Hart acknowledged last week that 'this is a challenging time' for the commission, which both Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom also criticized over its SpaceX decision. See you in court: SpaceX launched a legal challenge against the agency, alleging 'naked political discrimination.' The case is still pending before a Trump-appointed judge. A Republican state lawmaker had tried to pass a bill to side with SpaceX and reverse the Coastal Commission's decision. But that Assembly member, Bill Essayli, has since been promoted by Trump to become a U.S. attorney for California's central district. His bill, to let SpaceX launch up to 14 more Falcon 9 rockets from Vandenberg each year, died after no other Republicans took it up, our own Tyler Katzenberger reports. That means the original decision stands, for now. Former Commission Chair Justin Cummings nodded at the hurdles ahead for the agency last week when welcoming the new leaders. 'This coming year is not going to be easy, and probably won't be easy for the next few years,' he told them. The Reading Room Satellite industry derides cuts as national security threat: POLITICO New NASA Boss May Not Take Over Until Next Year, Acting Head Says: Bloomberg Private Space Stations Are Racing to Be the Next 'It' Destination: The Wall Street Journal Varda to launch its first in-house built spacecraft for on-orbit manufacturing: SpaceNews Report Proposes Fixes For The Aerospace Talent Gap: Payload Event Horizon MONDAY: The Center for Strategic and International Studies holds a fireside chat with Air Marshal Paul Godfrey. TUESDAY: The Mitchell Institute holds a discussion with Dr. Kelly D. Hammett of the Space Force. WEDNESDAY: The 2025 SmallSat & Space Access Summit runs from Wednesday to Thursday. SpaceNews holds a discussion on geospatial intelligence. Photo of the Week
