Behind the Black 4/23/2026
There has been a lot of attention given by the propaganda press to the testimony yesterday by NASA administrator Jared Isaacman before the House Science Committee, with almost all of that coverage focused on two issues, Trump’s proposal to cut NASA’s budget significantly, and the public statement by Isaacman that two Lunar Gateway modules were delivered “corroded.”
On the corrosion issue, much of the press focused on whether Isaacman’s statement is true (contractors are denying it). I instead was struck by how little pushback there was overall from Congress about Isaacman’s proposal to cancel Gateway entirely. In two hours of testimony, only one congressman brought it up, and even he did not challenge Isaacman’s decision very strongly.
Put simply, it really didn’t matter whether these modules were corroded or not. Congress is not going to challenge Isaacman on this decision. Some politicians might use it in fund-raising letters or at press events as a hammer to win votes or donations, but when it comes time to approve NASA’s budget, they are willing to accept Isaacman’s overall judgment. Gateway will be gone.
As for the budget cuts, I was also struck by the lack of hard opposition from Congress, despite reporting from the propaganda press (like this story) suggesting the cuts were rejected outright. Though repeatedly Isaacman was questioned about those cuts - especially from Democrats - repeatedly he fought back hard, to good effect. He supports Trump’s cuts and does not want more money, because in reviewing NASA’s budget and recent actions, he has found there is ample cash available in Trump’s reduced budget by simply shutting down bad or duplicative projects and focusing his resources more effectively.
More: https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/essays-and-commentaries/isaacman-before-congress-speaking-the-truth-to-power/#more-123248
I find the whole funding thing bizarre - it takes more money to do thing right and safely, not less. By eliminating the Gateway, one safety step is eliminated from the entire enterprise. It no secret that, if the Chinese were not trying to go to the Moon first, 47 would have closed out the entirety of NASA. He seems to have a visceral hate for the agency.
The major reason that NASA's lunar mission is so far behind and reusing old odds and ends, is the lack of funding. Most of this blame lies on Congress, but with 47 hatred added in, it is far more severe.
As it is, the program needs $200 billion in funding to do the program correctly and safely, without the shoestring budget currently in use. But Isaacman is on thin ice with 47, so he has to go along with the 'Plan,' say what he does to make everything look swell, when it really is not.
NASA has already shut down critical programs - one being the Mars Sample Return Mission. The entire Mars program from its inception was to return samples to Earth to verify whether or not Mars had or still has life. Without that mission all the money spent on Mars all the billions and billions is a total loss.
The Chinese have their own Mars sample mission and its on track for 2030-33 time frame. So if there is life on Mars, they will find it first. And since all the recent tests point to there being life, they will be able to proclaim it as verified.
Now if there was a possibility of golf courses and resorts on Mars, 47 would be all over it.
Topic: Isaacman before Congress: Speaking the truth to power (Read 139 times)
