NASA administrator resigns (split from 'Artemis' 2024 Moon mission:)

[et pet]

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-exploration-nasa/nasa-executive-quits-weeks-after-appointment-to-lead-2024-moon-landing-plan-idUSKCN1SU0A5

      - excerpts :

   "  NASA executive quits weeks after appointment to lead 2024 moon landing plan

         CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - A top NASA executive hired in April to guide strategy for returning astronauts to the moon by 2024 has resigned, the space agency said on Thursday, the culmination of internal strife and dwindling congressional support for the lunar initiative.

Mark Sirangelo, named six weeks ago as special assistant to NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, left the agency as NASA abandoned a reorganization plan due to a chilly reception on Capitol Hill, Bridenstine said in a statement.

   ...

  The latest initiative was dubbed Artemis, after the goddess of the hunt and the moon in Greek mythology and the twin sister of Apollo.

NASA had aimed to return crewed spacecraft to the lunar surface by 2028, after putting a “Gateway” station into lunar orbit by 2024. However, the prospect of additional funding drew little enthusiasm from congressional appropriators.

The two people with knowledge of the matter said Sirangelo’s ouster was sealed by increasing skepticism that 2024 was a realistic deadline for moon landings.

In his statement, Bridenstine said the agency was still exploring what organizational changes were “necessary to maximize efficiencies and achieve the end state of landing the first woman and the next man on the moon by 2024.”

“If the $1.6 billion does not materialize, we will fall back on the previous plan, which was to land in 2028,” the NASA chief told reporters at a news conference earlier in the day.   "

   https://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-exploration-nasa/nasa-executive-quits-weeks-after-appointment-to-lead-2024-moon-landing-plan-idUSKCN1SU0A5 

Edited May 25, 2019 by et pet

[et pet]

shakes head

   http://spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=52521 

   " 

Resignation Letter From Mark Sirangelo To NASA Administrator Bridenstine

Status Report From: NASA HQ 
Posted: Friday, May 24, 2019

 

From: "Sirangelo, Mark (HQ-AA000)" 
Date: May 20, 2019 at 5:59:20 PM EDT
To: "Bridenstine, James F. (HQ-AA000)" 
Subject: My Role
 

Jim,

 

Over the last couple of months we have accomplished much together and it has been truly exciting.  After having gone through an evaluation of our conversations and the future path you have outlined for NASA it is with regret that I believe that it is time for me to end my role as the Special Assistant to the Administrator.  

I truly appreciate that you reached out to me earlier this year to join NASA in support of the developmental to return the U.S. to the Moon.  It was such a challenging and amazing opportunity that it led me to halt all the other aspects of my life to join you and NASA.  As NASA wished to expedite my entry, NASA offered, and I agreed upon the position of Special Assistant as an interim role.  This role was to help develop the top-level technical path, budget and potential future management structures for the America’s Lunar 2024 challenge with the understanding that a further Agency level role might develop for me from this.

Subsequent to our completing  two of these goals, the initial Moon 2024 technical path and President’s Budget amendment last week, the response back from Congress indicating their lack of support for establishing a new agency level Moon Mission Directorate was certainly disappointing.  Following that, from our discussions, I understand that your decision is to not to implement any alternative Agency level reorganization and to retain the Agency structure, as is, with any future management changes to remain internal to HEO Directorate.  From this I realize that that my planning role is complete and without a logical follow-on I would now like to focus on having a positive transition. 

My notice today is for an end to my NASA employment on May 31, 2019.  Due to complex nature of the efforts NASA is engaged in, I am open to discussing this situation further before that or to discussing a return to NASA in the future should the situation change.  Meanwhile, I will start organizing a transition plan for the many things that I have work on and on list of outstanding activities.  Please let me know who you would like me to work with on external messaging.

I have enjoyed our brief, but eventful, journey.  I will be leaving with the positive knowledge that I have tried to do all that I could do in the time available to advance the Vice President’s mandate and that we have, together with our colleagues and in a notably short time, created a workable technical path back to Moon for the United States and a realistic budget to begin the funding of this effort. 

Much is left to do and I wish you all the best for the future.  I will continue to remain a strong supporter of NASA and of this historic endeavor.  I sincerely hope that you continue to realize your own personal goals and that you and the NASA team are successful in bring America back to the Moon by 2024.

Mark

 

Mark N. Sirangelo

Special Assistant to the Administrator

 

// end //  "

   http://spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=52521 

Edited May 26, 2019 by et pet

[beecee]

On 5/25/2019 at 10:10 AM, et pet said:

45 minutes ago, et pet said:

shakes head   

http://spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=52521 

   " 

Resignation Letter From Mark Sirangelo To NASA Administrator Bridenstine

 

One resignation n does not make invalid or cancelled any NASA plan or proposal.

And of course reading his resignation letter, it is obvious that he appears to be a totally motivated and decent human being, interested in doing that which will benefit NASA and keep it at the forefront and world leader in space science and exploration. For that I commend him and wish him the best in his continued endeavour.

I'm still though of the opinion that a Lunar return and boots on Mars, should be an International effort.

Quote

 

In his statement, Bridenstine said the agency was still exploring what organizational changes were “necessary to maximize efficiencies and achieve the end state of landing the first woman and the next man on the moon by 2024.”

“If the $1.6 billion does not materialize, we will fall back on the previous plan, which was to land in 2028,” the NASA chief told reporters at a news conference earlier in the day.   "

 

And of course whether the 2024 proposal is a goer or otherwise and whether it succeeds and gets off the ground or not, does in no way, alter plans of NASA or some other private or other government to take up thatchallenge at a later date. 

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-administrator-makes-artemis-moon-program-announcement

On May 23, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced Maxar would build the first segment of NASA’s Gateway outpost – the power and propulsion element (PPE). Gateway will be the lunar orbiting staging point to send astronauts to the Moon’s surface in five years.

 

Last Updated: May 25, 2019

Editor: Yvette Smith

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I'm sure et pet, that both you and I both want to see a successful return to the Moon, as safely and as quickly as is humanly possible. 

Edited May 26, 2019 by beecee

[et pet]

16 hours ago, beecee said:

One resignation n does not make invalid or cancelled any NASA plan or proposal.

  Poor attempt at a  'Strawman', beecee!

   Mark N. Sirangelo clearly states that the reason for his resignation was "the response back from Congress indicating their lack of support for establishing a new agency level Moon Mission Directorate ". : http://spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=52521  

   Only you beecee, in your  Poor attempt at a  'Strawman', brought up such nonsense.

   

16 hours ago, beecee said:

I'm sure et pet, that both you and I both want to see a successful return to the Moon, as safely and as quickly as is humanly possible. 

    Then you are wholly mistaken, beecee, that I care to engage in any Off-Topic personal issue that you are "sure" about.

   At any rate :  https://qz.com/1625496/house-rejects-trumps-nasa-and-space-force-plans/ 

   " Donald Trump is not getting his space money 

     Last week, the White House submitted a late funding request for an additional $1.6 billion in spending on a proposed Artemis moon program to return astronauts to the lunar surface by 2024. Today, the House Appropriations committee left that request out of its spending plan for NASA and ignored many of the administration’s other space priorities.

Without that funding, any hope of the accelerated mission to the moon touted by Vice President Mike Pence is likely to disappear. "   https://qz.com/1625496/house-rejects-trumps-nasa-and-space-force-plans/ 

 

    

Edited May 27, 2019 by et pet

[beecee]

4 hours ago, et pet said:

 Without that funding, any hope of the accelerated mission to the moon touted by Vice President Mike Pence is likely to disappear. "   https://qz.com/1625496/house-rejects-trumps-nasa-and-space-force-plans/     

Whether this is government funded, or privately funded, whether the "accelerated" time frame eventuates or not, will not change the fact that a return to the Moon will in time eventuate. 

 

[beecee]

On 5/25/2019 at 10:10 AM, et pet said:

“If the $1.6 billion does not materialize, we will fall back on the previous plan, which was to land in 2028,” the NASA chief told reporters at a news conference earlier in the day.   "

Bingo!!! The obvious alternative as I have been saying all along. 

 

[et pet]

47 minutes ago, beecee said:

 

Bingo!!! The obvious alternative as I have been saying all along. 

 

   Seriously, beecee, another Poor attempt at a  'Strawman' ?   

Edited May 27, 2019 by et pet

[beecee]

38 minutes ago, et pet said:

   Seriously, beecee, another Poor attempt at a  'Strawman' ?   

 Whatever....

from your own link.......

9 hours ago, et pet said:

“If the $1.6 billion does not materialize, we will fall back on the previous plan, which was to land in 2028,” the NASA chief told reporters at a news conference earlier in the day.   "

 

Edited May 28, 2019 by beecee

[Strange]

8 hours ago, et pet said:

   Seriously, beecee, another Poor attempt at a  'Strawman' ?   

!

Moderator Note

Someone quoting an article to support their own point of view is not a straw man.

This thread is closed to prevent any further escalation