It wasn’t that we intentionally omitted Rep. Jim Bridenstine from a story this week about a White House signing ceremony for funding of NASA programs. We just weren’t aware of it until his office released an announcement indicating the Tulsa Republican Congressman watched as President trump signed S.442, a measure that included some of Bridenstine’s efforts.
The NASA transition Authorization Act included several provisions from Rep. Bridenstine’s American Space Renaissance Act, H.R. 4945 from the 114th Congress. One was Launch Indemnification which allows the NASA administrator to determine a maximum probably loss for a lunch and set the insurance requirements to the determination. another was Orbital debris removal which calls for a review of concepts and technologies for removing existing orbital debris, making it safer for space travel. Still another is the ISS transition plan which requires NASA to develop a plan to transition from NASA sponsorship of the International Space Station to other regimes. Finally, there is the Venture Class launch which indicates the support of Congress for the program which is considered key to enhance the domestic commercial launch industry.
Bridenstine sits on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee and has interviewed with the Trump administration for the job of NASA Administrator. The White House has yet to name a new NASA Administrator as reported earlier this month by OK Energy Today.