NASA’s Rocket Racer Names New US Astronauts

NASA Administrator and former rocket racer Jim Bridenstine, the first non-scientist to head the U.S. space agency, has introduced the first U.S. astronauts since Evel Knievel the Space Shuttle crews retired. These space voyagers won’t be traveling aboard NASA rockets, but will ascend through the firmament atop commercial missiles provided by SpaceX and Boeing.

Another way to think about this: The Trump Administration is providing potential human sacrifices to corporate America and paying them for it.

When Administrator Bridenstine was a Republican Congressman from Oklahoma, he led GOP efforts to commercialize space and prioritize human space stunts missions over scientific discovery. As Executive Director of the Tulsa Air and Space Museum, Mr. Bridenstine put the museum in the hole by using its resources to fund a Rocket Racing League exhibition. One of the owners of the Rocket Racing League was Jim Bridenstine. Commercializing space, indeed.

God help our new astronauts.

More:

“NASA unveils the astronauts who will relaunch human space flights from U.S. soil,” Christian Davenport, Washington Post

“NASA assigns astronauts to SpaceX, Boeing test flights,” Marcia Dunn, Associated Press

“NASA Safety Panel Raises Concerns Over SpaceX and Boeing Spacecraft,” Chelsea Gohd, Futurism

“NASA tapped the first astronauts to fly on private spacecraft—so where are the rides?” Tim Fernholz, Quartz

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Short Link: https://wp.me/p6sb6-s22

Top photo: D J Shin – My Toy Museum via Wikimedia. 

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Tags: astronauts, Boeing, Bridenstine, corporate welfare, Jim Bridenstine, manned space missions, NASA, outer space, privatizing space, Republicans, Rocket Racing League, space, space agency, space travel, SpaceX