Tag: Politics
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Following Trump’s lead, Pentagon orders reviews of Air Force One, F-35 fighter jets
The current Air Force One planes were built more than a quarter-century ago. (White House Photo) President Donald Trump’s defense secretary, James Mattis, has ordered reviews of the multibillion-dollar programs to acquire new Air Force One jets and more F-35 fighter jets – two programs that sparked his boss’ ire in the run-up to his inauguration.…
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What’s next for science and tech? Key posts are in limbo as Trump takes charge
Donald Trump met with tech industry leaders including venture capitalist Peter Thiel and Apple CEO Tim Cook last month. (Pool via YouTube) Although President Donald Trump says he’s ready to delve into the mysteries of space, he still has to make key appointments at NASA and other agencies dealing with science and technology policy. And…
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Tech shines as bright spot in Donald Trump’s dark inaugural speech
Donald Trump vows to “Make America Great Again” in his inaugural address. (Pool via YouTube) Donald Trump’s first address as president may have sounded like a “Make America Great Again” campaign speech, but he did include at least a few bright words about the promise of science and technology. “We stand at the birth of a new millennium,”…
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Jeff Bezos tweets his vote of support for constructing a ‘superhighway in space’
Blue Origin’s Jeff Bezos chats with GeekWire’s Alan Boyle at the 2016 Space Symposium in Colorado, with a picture of Blue Origin’s New Shepard passenger capsule displayed in the background. (Tom Kimmell Photography / Courtesy of the Space Foundation) What should Donald Trump have NASA do? Today Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos voiced his support for…
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NASA’s mission to snag asteroid faces questions amid Trump transition
In this artist’s conception, two astronauts make their way between their Orion capsule and a piece of an asteroid that’s been captured by a robotic spacecraft. (NASA via YouTube) House Republicans are voicing renewed doubts about NASA’s plan to have astronauts study a piece of an asteroid – a turn of events that was expected for…
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Elon Musk holds forth on SolarCity, Tesla, SpaceX … and Donald Trump
Elon Musk is the billionaire CEO of SpaceX and Tesla. (Credit: AGU file) Today Elon Musk laid out his views on electricity-generating solar roofs, the Tesla-SolarCity merger, SpaceX’s return to flight and artificial intelligence during an extraordinary 30-minute telephone interview on CNBC. His timeliest comments may relate to next week’s presidential election: Musk gave a lukewarm endorsement to Democratic…
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Obama goes into full (and feisty) geek mode at White House Frontiers Conference
“Innovation is in our DNA,” President Barack Obama tells his audience at the White House Frontiers Conference in Pittsburgh. (Credit: White House) President Barack Obama stated the obvious today during what almost sounded like a farewell address to the tech community he loves. “I confess, I am a science geek,” he said at the White…
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How aliens and Apollo astronaut Edgar Mitchell got tangled up in WikiLeaks emails
NASA astronauts Edgar Mitchell (foreground) and Alan Shepard (background) work on the lunar surface during the Apollo 14 mission in 1971. (Credit: NASA) WikiLeaks’ purloined emails cover a wide range of issues that were handled by Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman, John Podesta, but the farthest-out issues may well have to do with E.T., alien energy…
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Donald Trump disses America’s space program; what would Hillary Clinton do?
GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump looks upward as he discusses the border wall that’s part of his policy agenda, at a town hall meeting in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Credit: Donald Trump Speeches & Events via YouTube) GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump has been going through a series of reversals this week, and today’s highlights include…
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White House works out a process to clear commercial missions to moon and Mars
An artist’s conception shows Moon Express’ MX-1 lander extending its robotic arm to take a “selfie” of the spacecraft on the lunar surface with Earth in the background. (Credit: Moon Express) After months of discussion, federal agencies are closing in on a process to approve commercial missions to other celestial bodies – including the moon, Mars…