Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Aug 04, 2025

Biden picks former space shuttle mission specialist to head NASA

Biden picks former space shuttle mission specialist to head NASA

Bill Nelson served as a payload specialist aboard the last successful space shuttle mission before the Challenger disaster.

President Joe Biden has picked former space shuttle payload specialist Bill Nelson to lead NASA over the course of his administration.

Mr Nelson, 78, became the second sitting member of Congress to travel in space in 1986, when he boarded the shuttle Columbia as a payload specialist - rather than a full-on astronaut - while a sitting member of the House of Representatives.

It was the last successful shuttle mission before the Challenger disaster that same year.

If his selection is approved by Congress, Mr Nelson will become the second member of the 1986 Columbia mission to become the NASA administrator, following Barack Obama's pick Charles Boden whom Mr Nelson urged that president to select.

Joe Biden has selected a former Democratic senator for the role


As a boy Mr Nelson grew up in Florida near to Cape Canaveral, where the US has a rocket launch site, and is poised to join NASA at a critical juncture with the agency facing financial issues and delays to its planned Artemis programme.

The programme, named after the mythological sister of Apollo, the first moon mission's namesake, aims to take the first woman and the next man to the lunar surface by 2024 - although that date is now in question.

An audit report by the space agency's office of inspector general (OIG) has warned NASA's plans to land the first woman and the next man on the moon by 2024 are "unlikely" to be achieved.

Alongside the astronaut landings, NASA had intended to establish a "Lunar Gateway" outpost which will be orbiting the moon by the mid-2020s, and then lunar landers to deliver cargo to the surface by the late 2020s.

The OIG report stated that due to numerous challenges facing the Lunar Gateway mission, "we anticipate further schedule delays and cost increases, making the Gateway unlikely to be available for the planned 2024 lunar landing".

It is not clear whether these missions will continue at all or if they will postponed.

Senator Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, endorsed Mr Nelson for the NASA role, saying: "There has been no greater champion, not just for Florida's space industry, but for the space programme as a whole.

"His nomination gives me confidence that the Biden administration finally understands the importance of the Artemis programme, and the necessity of winning the 21st century space race," added Senator Rubio.

Mr Nelson previously served as Florida's senator until 2018, when he lost his seat to his Republican challenger by a margin of less than 0.25%.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
×