11/06/2025 - Received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
A Mars shot and nuclear propulsionOne eye-popping proposal in Project Athena is to set up a new Mars program, dubbed “Olympus.”Much of that vision, the source familiar with the document told CNN, was intended to align NASA with SpaceX’s goal of sending an uncrewed Starship spacecraft to the Martian surface next year.SpaceX’s plan, which CEO Elon Musk discussed publicly in May, “was going to be a more-or-less free mission that SpaceX was going to do anyway,” the source said. The thinking was that NASA could step in to provide support through the Olympus program at minimal cost to taxpayers, according to the source.
Has the full plan leaked publicly? Or still just leaked to media insiders?
A plan written by Trump’s NASA pick was leaked. Here’s what to know about ‘Project Athena’https://edition.cnn.com/2025/11/10/science/nasa-jared-isaacman-project-athenaQuote from: CNNA Mars shot and nuclear propulsionOne eye-popping proposal in Project Athena is to set up a new Mars program, dubbed “Olympus.”Much of that vision, the source familiar with the document told CNN, was intended to align NASA with SpaceX’s goal of sending an uncrewed Starship spacecraft to the Martian surface next year.SpaceX’s plan, which CEO Elon Musk discussed publicly in May, “was going to be a more-or-less free mission that SpaceX was going to do anyway,” the source said. The thinking was that NASA could step in to provide support through the Olympus program at minimal cost to taxpayers, according to the source.
Quote from: yg1968 on 11/10/2025 06:04 pmA plan written by Trump’s NASA pick was leaked. Here’s what to know about ‘Project Athena’https://edition.cnn.com/2025/11/10/science/nasa-jared-isaacman-project-athenaQuote from: CNNA Mars shot and nuclear propulsionOne eye-popping proposal in Project Athena is to set up a new Mars program, dubbed “Olympus.”Much of that vision, the source familiar with the document told CNN, was intended to align NASA with SpaceX’s goal of sending an uncrewed Starship spacecraft to the Martian surface next year.SpaceX’s plan, which CEO Elon Musk discussed publicly in May, “was going to be a more-or-less free mission that SpaceX was going to do anyway,” the source said. The thinking was that NASA could step in to provide support through the Olympus program at minimal cost to taxpayers, according to the source.I think the source(s) are non-technical who people have conflated two very different issues. While IMO NEP has merit as an important long term technology for crewed and robotic exploration of the solar system beyond Mars it is basically fantasy as far as near term Mars efforts with Starship. The only reasonable potential overlap is perhaps someday Starship will launch NEP testbench hardware and eventually modular components to assemble NEP spacecraft in LEO.
I think that the nuclear propulsion activities would be to keep MSFC busy if SLS is cancelled.
Quote from: yg1968 on 11/11/2025 12:28 amI think that the nuclear propulsion activities would be to keep MSFC busy if SLS is cancelled.Not picking you out to vent or anything...But I think nuclear propulsion should be tabled in favor of designing and building a manned lunar base first.
In order to get outgoing personnel chief Sergio Gor quickly approved as US ambassador to India, the president needed all 53 GOP senators to go along. But Sheehy suggested he wouldn’t view Gore’s job of staffing the administration as complete as long as the NASA role was vacant.So Sheehy put a hold on Gor’s nomination in September, a move that has not been previously reported. It didn’t take long to get a response from the White House. [...]Sheehy kept his hold private in September, and his strategy worked. Vice President JD Vance quickly called him to defuse the situation; he told Vance that the lack of a permanent NASA chief was a “huge problem.” The two came to a deal: Sheehy would release his hold in exchange for the administration redoubling its efforts to fill the position.Then, in an almost unheard-of reversal, Trump renominated Isaacman last week.
This is a critical moment for @NASA as it works to deploy the historic funding secured in the One Big Beautiful Bill to beat China back to the moon and bolster U.S. leadership in space.I know @rookisaacman is committed to having American astronauts return to the lunar surface and to developing the capacity to reach Mars. Great meeting today, and I look forward to having him before the Commerce Committee on December 3.
December 3, 202510:00 AMWASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a hearing to consider the nominations for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Department of Commerce at 10:00 AM EST on Wednesday, December 3, 2025. Nominees: Mr. Jared Isaacman, of Pennsylvania, to be Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationMr. Steven Haines, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Analysis Hearing Details:WHAT: Full Committee Nominations HearingDATE: Wednesday, December 3, 2025TIME: 10:00 AM ESTLOCATION: Committee Hearing Room, Russell 253LIVESTREAM: The hearing will stream live on the Committee web site and YouTube.MEDIA INFO: Reporters wanting to attend the committee should contact their respective media gallery to RSVP.Senate Daily Press: 202-224-0241 or [email protected]Senate Periodical Press: 202-224-0265 or [email protected]Senate Photographers: 202-224-6548 or [email protected]Senate Radio/TV: 202-224-6421
Presumably he'll be filling out new financial disclosure forms as part of the nomination process. Maybe we'll learn what major donations he made after May 2025.
