NASA's Top Administrator Steps Down

Other notable events during Goldin’s tenure were the return of John Glenn to space in 1998, amazing repairs of the Hubble space telescope and the successful Mars Pathfinder mission in 1996. The Pathfinder mission was the pinnacle of the “cheaper, faster is better” philosophy.

Recently, there has developed within NASA a real push to pawn the Shuttle fleet onto a private contractor, thus levying many budgetary woes. After more than twenty years of struggling with budgets and hardware this action might not be such a bad idea. The end result may lead to a user-friendlier budget for NASA and the introduction of some more appealing schemes such as an improved ISS. Plans that allow corporate astronauts and flight directors from private companies to enter service are also being considered.

Insiders have been anticipating Goldin’s retirement for years, but ever since the 2000 election a new Bush appointee was inevitable. The position serves at the pleasure of the president (i.e.—he can be replaced at any moment by the president who is in office).

The future ahead looks bleak for NASA. With the new climate in the United States the last thing on most people’s mind will be space exploration (except for matters of the DOD and the like). The agency’s new administrator will have his hands full the moment his is sworn in, but hopefully that person will be ready for the challenge. Goldin has stated he plans to return to the private sector.

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