Mark Whittington on Tuesday, 7-29-25
I introduced Mark, who discussed the current turmoil at NASA, describing the agency as "rudderless" due to the stalled nomination of billionaire Jared Isaacman as Administrator. Isaacman, known for funding private missions like Inspiration 4, was nominated by Donald Trump and had garnered bipartisan support, including backing from former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. However, his nomination unraveled after a post on Truth Social falsely labeled him a Democrat and criticized his connection to Elon Musk. Influenced by low-level staffer Sergio Gor—reportedly motivated by personal grievances—Trump withdrew his support. As a result, the nomination collapsed, and NASA remains without permanent leadership. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is currently serving as interim Administrator while also handling his existing responsibilities. Mark talked about Sean so don’t miss his commentary on this subject.
Mark talked about NASA facing significant budget cuts and internal conflict over long-term strategy. Mark mentioned the administration Artemis plans, potential commercial alternatives and the fact Congress is fighting to maintain SLS, Gateway, and more of the original NASA funding. Mark then delved into how personal and political tensions are derailing progress in U.S. space policy. Our mentioned the feud with Musk and Trump. In addition, Mark talked about how the administration’s Sergio Gor appears to have played a key role in shaping Trump's negative stance toward both Musk and Isaacman, reportedly out of personal jealousy. Our guest said that these internal feuds underscore how politics—rather than merit—are influencing critical space policy decisions.
More was said about Artemis and any program timelines, especially getting back to the Moon by 2028. Mark mentioned China targeting a lunar landing by 2030, which could undermine the U.S. space legacy if successful. As for lunar human landers, Mark discussed both the SpaceX effort and the Blue Origin effort as to which lander will be ready first. Our guest reported rumors suggesting SpaceX may be developing a scaled-down, crew-only version of Starship in response to mission complexity and reliability concerns. If SpaceX continues to struggle with full-scale Starship, NASA may pivot to Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander, which appears to have a more manageable development path in the near term.
The proposed Golden Dome missile defense initiative became a topic of discussion. Our guest said it would depend heavily on commercial space providers for deployment. Companies such as Rocket Lab, United Launch Alliance (ULA), and Blue Origin stand to benefit from potential launch contracts. The project evokes comparisons to Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative, fueled by rising geopolitical tensions and incorporating AI-based targeting systems. A caller raises concerns about the unchecked expansion of satellite constellations like Starlink, Amazon’s Kuiper, and similar efforts from China and Europe. I noted that regulation remains minimal, and key issues—including satellite collisions, space debris, light pollution, and traffic management—are largely unaddressed. While international treaties exist, enforcement is weak. Mark pointed out the risks and that meaningful regulation may only come after a major incident.
I asked Mark about the growing interest in space-related IPOs and SPACs, with companies like Firefly and Redwire gaining attention. However, caution was urged with Mark warning that the sector may be in a speculative bubble reminiscent of the dot-com or AI booms. He predicted a “winnowing out” where only the strongest companies survive and advises listeners to consult financial experts rather than invest based on hype.
Mark was asked about his previous reporting of SpaceX working on a new line of autonomous, reentry-capable space capsules designed for orbital manufacturing and research. These capsules would operate independently in low-Earth orbit and return high-value products, such as microchips, to Earth. Launched via Starship, they could offer cheaper, crewless alternatives to space stations, with the added benefit of protecting intellectual property. SpaceX hopes to begin operations by 2030. The new company effort is named Starfall.
Mark reported a CBS poll showing public interest in lunar and Martian missions is growing across all age groups, with the strongest support coming from younger generations. Livingston and Mark envision immersive experiences for future missions, including virtual reality feeds from astronaut helmets and live Zoom sessions with schoolchildren—potentially turning lunar exploration into a highly engaging and educational global event.
As we were approaching the end of the program, I asked Mark about NOAA cuts. Mark was critical of proposed funding cuts to NOAA, particularly during hurricane season when weather forecasting is most critical. He views the cuts as shortsighted and part of a broader rollback of climate-related policies, such as the decision to stop classifying CO₂ as a pollutant. While he supports continued climate monitoring, he is skeptical of some regulatory changes—such as updated HVAC refrigerant rules—that impose high costs on consumers, especially in warmer states.
Mark said he is writing a new book titled How We Got Back to the Moon, documenting the political and programmatic shifts driving the Artemis program. He argues that past delays were primarily due to politics and poor messaging rather than technological limitations. He supports maintaining the Wolf Amendment, which prohibits NASA-China cooperation, and sees bipartisan momentum around commercial space partnerships as a positive sign. Still, he emphasized that sustainable lunar efforts will require clear goals, stable leadership, and long-term investment.
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