Who’s Next?

Reports tonight (Tuesday, January 13) have it that Retired Air Force Major General Scott Gration has been tapped by the incoming Obama administration to head up NASA.  The report first surfaced on Space.com. The first questions about this man are aimed at his lack of space experience as he is largely unknown to the space community.  He is an experienced fighter pilot and does have some experience with  NASA, working as a White House Fellow for former NASA administrator Hans Mark (in 1982). Will it be enough to head an agency that is facing huge changes in the near future?

This appointment is something of a surprise. Last week at the AAS, speculation about various people was quite fascinating, but there wasn’t a clear “winner” in all the gossip I heard. So, this will be an interesting appointment if it passes muster with Congress and the Senate.

NASA has a number of challenges ahead in the next few years, especially with the space shuttle fleet retiring and no immediate replacement for it. The Constellation program is under heavy scrutiny. NASA will face profound changes due to our shift away from shuttle-based access to space. How will the centers survive? What science will receive priority attention?  What about the many aspects of NASA that look to future exploration?  All of these are questions that the next administrator(s) of NASA will face.  Stay tuned on how this new selection will play out.

NOTE: thanks to Daniel Fischer at Cosmos4U for pointing out that NASA Watch had the first tip on this one. Credit where credit’s due.