Former Senator and one-time astronaut Bill Nelson named as NASA's new administrator

Former US Senator Bill Nelson has been confirmed as NASA administrator with breath-taking speed (compared to his predecessor). Nelson's nomination by President Joe Biden came in March and was welcomed by acting NASA administrator Steve Jurczyk who said he was looking forward "to continuing to work with Bill and the Biden- …

[Floydian Slip]

Wait! Bill Nelson? There's only one Bill Nelson

Bebop Deluxe guitarist, Red Noise ands solo artist of some note. Surely not

[m4r35n357]

Re: Wait! Bill Nelson? There's only one Bill Nelson

He's turned his Revolt into Style !!!

[Chipfryer]

Re: Wait! Bill Nelson? There's only one Bill Nelson

Life in the air age is grim enough to make a robot cry and we could probably do without airships crashing every day into the bay.

On the other hand, switch on the sky, light up the stars!

[MOV r0,r0]

Re: Wait! Bill Nelson? There's only one Bill Nelson

No trains to heaven. Just some rocketships.

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: Wait! Bill Nelson? There's only one Bill Nelson

I must admit, every time in the article he was referred to simply as "Nelson" I heard Hah Hah in my head :-)

[mechgru2]

Re: Wait! Bill Nelson? There's only one Bill Nelson

But will it be a Honeymoon on Mars or Down on Terminal Street for NASA?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: It's just a question of style

Nominative determinism, made in heaven: Bill Nelson and the Gentleman Rocketeers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WeiBzGBTu8 (from 2011, so way ahead of his time)

PLAY LOUDER!

See also: Bill Nelson interview with Radcliffe+Maconie:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p00lbggs

Essential.

[Yet Another Anonymous coward]

NASA head is a political job?

Presumably at least this one will believe in a spherical Earth

[Flocke Kroes]

Re: NASA head is a political job?

Definitely a political job. NASA's budget is decided by politicians.

The last one (Bridenstein) was a terrifying choice but was able to distance himself from the opinions he had to spout to get elected and successfully defended the Commercial Crew program funding against a determined effort to divert it all to a cost plus Boeing monopoly endless pork pipe. I was deeply shocked at how competent he was considering the standard set by other Trump appointees.

Bill Nelson also comes with a scary past. So far he has said sensible things about the HLS contract going to SpaceX. When he starts making actual decisions we will find out if he wants to run a space exploration program or a fake jobs pork funnel.

[deep_enigma]

Re: NASA head is a political job?

"...we will find out if he wants to political leadership will let him run a space exploration program or a fake jobs pork funnel."

FTFY.

[Version 1.0]

The Biden administration strike again

The previous president would have made Elon Musk NASA's new administrator.

[Flocke Kroes]

Re: The Biden administration strike again

Back then the joke was he would to appoint Martin Shkreli as head of the FDA. Thanks to Poe's law I almost fell for it.

[Gene Cash]

At least it wasn't Sen. "Pukin' Jake" Garn

Bill at least kept his lunch down!

> The previous president would have made Elon Musk NASA's new administrator.

Hm. I'm so very torn on if this is an actual good idea or not. However I think Elon would look at the politics he'd have to deal with and say "fuck that for a lark"

[Anonymous Coward]

Nelson?

Major Nelson?

I bet Jeanie is happy.

[Chairman of the Bored]

The one time in my life I wish I were a Senator

My question for the nominee would be:

Mr. Nelson, I'd like to address Artemis, Constellation, or whatever the name will be tomorrow. What is your specific plan for getting your ship together? The taxpayer is getting tired of this ship.