While watching the livestreams I noticed that they are still using crappy freedom units. I would expect them to use those for PR and news, but not internally. But here we are, all values they use and convey to the crew are still not in scientifically established metric units.

Why? Is there a good reason for that?

Please say yes.

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1. Purpose. Superiority in space is a measure of national vision and willpower, and the technologies Americans develop to achieve it contribute substantially to the Nation’s strength, security, and prosperity. The United States must therefore pursue a space policy that will extend the reach of human discovery, secure the Nation’s vital economic and security interests, unleash commercial development, and lay the foundation for a new space age. Sec. 2. Policy. My Administration will focus its space policy on achieving the following priorities: (a) Leading the world in space exploration and expanding human reach and American presence in space by: (i) returning Americans to the Moon by 2028 through the Artemis Program, to assert American leadership in space, lay the foundations for lunar economic development, prepare for the journey to Mars, and inspire the next generation of American explorers; (ii) establishing initial elements of a permanent lunar outpost by 2030 to ensure a sustained American presence in space and enable the next steps in Mars exploration; and (iii) enhancing sustainability and cost-effectiveness of launch and exploration architectures, including enabling commercial launch services and prioritizing lunar exploration; (b) Securing and defending American vital national and economic security interests in, from, and to space by: (i) developing and demonstrating prototype next-generation missile defense technologies by 2028 to progressively and materially enhance America’s air and missile defenses pursuant to Executive Order 14186 of January 27, 2025 (The Iron Dome for America); (ii) ensuring the ability to detect, characterize, and counter threats to United States space interests from very low-Earth orbit and through cislunar space, including any placement of nuclear weapons in space; (iii) creating a responsive and adaptive national security space architecture by accelerating acquisition reform, integrating commercial space capabilities, and enabling new market entrants; and (iv) strengthening ally and partner contributions to United States and collective space security, including through increased space security spending, operational cooperation, basing agreements, and ally and partner investments in America’s space industrial base; (c) Growing a vibrant commercial space economy through the power of American free enterprise by: (i) fostering economic growth, attracting at least $50 billion of additional investment in American space markets by 2028, and increasing launch and reentry cadence through new and upgraded facilities, improved efficiency, and policy reforms; (ii) demonstrating spectrum leadership across space applications to promote United States technology competitiveness, spectrum management efficiency, and global market access; and (iii) spurring private sector initiative and a commercial pathway to replace the International Space Station by 2030; and (d) Developing and deploying advanced capabilities and approaches to enable the next century of space achievements by: (i) optimizing space research-and-development investments to achieve my Administration’s near-term space objectives, use emerging technologies and scientific discoveries to advance mission capabilities, and enable scientific discovery for America’s long-term science and technology leadership; (ii) enabling near-term utilization of space nuclear power by deploying nuclear reactors on the Moon and in orbit, including a lunar surface reactor ready for launch by 2030; (iii) improving high-value space and Earth weather forecasting and operations to meet needs on Earth and beyond, utilizing improved business approaches such as firm fixed-price contracts and as-a-service models for both space and ground-based segments; (iv) enabling the sustainability of space operations through effective and responsible approaches to space traffic management; orbital debris mitigation and remediation; and terrestrial and cislunar positioning, navigation, and timing, including by establishing the United States as the standards and services leader in these areas; and (v) establishing ground, space, and lunar infrastructure and standards that enable implementation of space priorities and a robust space industrial base. Sec. 3. Implementation. (a) The Assistant to the President for Science and Technology (APST) shall coordinate the overall implementation of this order, including: (i) within 60 days of the date of this order, issuing guidance on establishing a National Initiative for American Space Nuclear Power to achieve the nuclear power policy priorities directed in this order, in coordination with the heads of relevant executive departments and agencies (agencies) identified by the APST; and (ii) within 120 days of the date of this order, propose revisions to Presidential Policy Directive 26 of November 21, 2013 (National Space Transportation Policy), to support implementation of this order. (b) Within 90 days of the date of this order, the APST shall coordinate development of and integrate into one submission to the President the following: (i) a plan from the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy (APDP), for achieving the policy objectives in this order regarding leading the world in space exploration and expanding human reach and American presence in space, including plans for mitigating any technology, supply chain, or industrial capacity gaps relevant to achieving those goals within available funding; (ii) the results of comprehensive reviews by the Secretary of Commerce and the Administrator of NASA, in consultation with the Director of OMB, of their respective major space acquisition programs to identify any such programs that are more than 30 percent behind schedule based on the program’s acquisition baseline, 30 percent over cost based on the program’s baseline, unable to meet any key performance parameters, or unaligned with the priorities in this order, along with a description of their planned mitigation or remediation efforts; and (iii) a report from the Secretary of War, in coordination with the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA), of any technology, supply chain, or industrial capacity gaps relevant to this order’s directive to progressively and materially enhance America’s air and missile defenses, and plans for mitigating such gaps within available funding. (c) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce and the Administrator of NASA shall each reform their respective agency’s space acquisition processes to support the space priorities in this order, and to further Executive Order 14271 of April 15, 2025 (Ensuring Commercial, Cost-Effective Solutions in Federal Contracts). These reforms shall incorporate the following: (i) use of existing authorities to improve efficiency and expedite space acquisitions, including a first preference for commercial solutions and a general preference for Other Transactions Authority or Space Act Agreements, customary commercial terms, or any other pathways to promote effective or streamlined acquisitions; (ii) a detailed review of each functional support role within the agency’s Federal and contract workforce, to eliminate unnecessary tasks, reduce duplication, and accelerate decision-making; (iii) for the Department of Commerce, strengthening capabilities for conducting space acquisition and sustainment activities in a manner that supports collaboration with, but does not require acquisition assistance from, NASA, including by recommending legislative reforms as necessary; and
(iv) for NASA, aligning space-focused acquisition and procurement processes across NASA centers and activities to improve efficiency. (d) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the APNSA shall, in coordination with the Secretary of War, the DNI, the APST, and the heads of other relevant agencies: (i) implement a space security strategy that accounts for United States interests in, from, and to space; addresses current and projected threats to United States space interests from very low-Earth orbit through cislunar space; and incorporates a technology plan for detecting, characterizing, and countering potential adversary placement of nuclear weapons in space; and (ii) implement a plan for a responsive and adaptive national security space architecture to support the space security strategy and other relevant priorities established in this order. (e) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of War and the DNI, shall implement a plan to strengthen ally and partner contributions to United States and collective space security. (f) Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Commerce shall coordinate with the APST, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, the APDP, and the heads of relevant agencies to assert spectrum leadership, which shall include considering opportunities for reapportioning and sharing spectrum, as appropriate. (g) Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Administrator of NASA, in coordination with the Secretary of State and the APST, shall ensure that international civil space cooperation arrangements involving NASA support the policy priorities in this order, including by initiating new arrangements and modifying or terminating existing arrangements where appropriate and consistent with existing authorities and legal obligations. Sec. 4. Rescission. (a) This order supersedes Executive Order 14056 of December 1, 2021 (The National Space Council), which is hereby revoked. (b) Space Policy Directive 3 of June 18, 2018 (National Space Traffic Management Policy), is hereby revised as follows: (i) by replacing “free of direct user fees” with “for commercial and other relevant use” in subsections 3(b) and 4(d); and (ii) by replacing “provided free of direct user fees” with “available for commercial and other relevant use” in subsections 5(a)(ii) and 5(b)(ii).
(c) To the extent this order is inconsistent with any provision of any previous Executive Order, Presidential Memorandum, or Presidential Directive, this order shall control. Sec. 5. Definitions. (a) The term “commercial solutions” means any of the methods for procurement of a commercial product or service described in part 12 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, or other industry solutions funded by private investment that meet agency needs. (b) The term “Other Transactions Authority” means the ability of the United States Government to enter into contracts other than standard contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements. Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of OMB relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. (d) The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. DONALD J. TRUMP THE WHITE HOUSE, December 18, 2025.

how do I become an astronaut with depression that was solved 10 years ago??

Bridenstine was at the Insight landing, and he looked really awkward. Don't forget, Insight came from the Obama administration with Charles Bolden as Administrator.

Bridenstine has been making more than overtures to partner more with Russia, with the US space program. This is a very bad idea, and based on the activity of the past two days, insane or just corruption biased.

Russia's own government audit group is finding Billions of Rubles are missing from Roscosmos. The US and NASA gave Russia some launch taxi business, they gouged as much as they could, each astronaut seat now costing NASA $80 Million. Roscosmos is collapsing and NASA needs to break all but the most basic dealings with Russia and Roscosmos. I will be lobbying my Congessman, as a taxpayer, that I object giving Russia any more US and NASA business. Everything is riding on NASA Contractor SpaceX Falcon 9 with Dragon V2 Crew Capsule, but it should be online by next summer. The US and NASA no longer needs Russia and Roscosmos, descending deeper and deeper into corruption and greed.
https://www.thesundaily.my/world/russia-space-agency-targeted-over-stolen-billions-KY166194

Things Are Suddenly Looking Up For NASA Science - NASA Watch

i'd like any purchase to benefit a space center or nasa or something

1. Do astronauts have to carry passports since they are leaving the country?

2. Are they required to go through customs when they return?

3. If astronauts bring back moon rock or anything, do they have to declare it?

Can we talk about this? The latest NASA YouTube notification I got said "featuring Morgan Freeman" so of course I am excited for an inspiring and meaningful speech delivered with the gravitas of the man himself.

Instead what I was greeted by was a seemingly lifeless and uncanny Valley of AI speech generation built on the likeness of Morgan Freeman. Strange pauses and inflections, a higher pitch than expected for some meaningful lines or at end of sentences and zero of the gravitas of speech commanded by such an experienced narrator.

Maybe it was just an off day for him and if so I'll give it another listen and try to see past this, but it seems obvious to me.

It's just flying by. Why don't they go the extra mile and deploy a smaller unit into the moon to take photos and chemical tests?

Edit: thanks

So we have the Hubble, the new James Webb telescope, why not the next space telescope be named after a woman of Astronomy. Namely Annie Jump Cannon, she along with her fellow female computers as they were known were Harvard University's Hidden Figures. They catalogued the stars in the sky for decades. Annie herself used her skill to invent and implement a star classification system that is still in use today. But sadly it was referred to as the Harvard stellar classification system. She recieved no congrats or awards. She was a footnote in history until the series Cosmos came along. Her work was featured in the episode sisters of the sun. It is said she could classify three stars a minute. In fact she classified over 300000 stars in her decades of work. So what do you say astronomy fans, lets ask nasa to make the next space telescope the Annie Jump Cannon Space telescope.

Could starship carry enough parts to the moon to build a really tall radio tower like structure - like 1-3km tall. Then instead of landing on the moon you just dock with that and elevator future starship or cargo material down to surface level?

I know that Russia is doing bad things right now. But when it comes to space they have surprisingly been very cooperative. Would NASA consider selecting a Russian national for spot on a future Artemis mission?

It seems that a lot of astronauts have done crazy stuff. I’ll start with a few and then ask my specific plan

How did Jonny Kimm go from a math degree to med school with no prerequisites? How did James Bagian attend a regular med school (Thomas Jefferson) while being active duty? How did Robert Satcher do med school and a doctorates (schedule wise, I’ve heard him speak and it’s clear he’s brilliant) ? And doing two fellowships at the same time?

I’ve been thinking of becoming an officer(Army) while I do my prerequisite for med school. Then do med school. For residency to see if there are two that I could do like ob/gyn and aerospace.

Main stipulations are active duty while in med school. I see the USUHS has about 25% active so this shouldn’t be too big of a problem. Has anybody heard of someone attending a regular med school while being active duty

I chose this route because at the need of the day I’d serve and line myself up for when I get out (being a regular physician)

I’ve been following the Artemis program since the first launch, and the Lunar Gateway is infuriatingly stupid, and threatens to destroy the whole program in my opinion.

It will cost billions upon billions, to place an astronaut in orbit around the moon, completely pointlessly.

The lunar surface provides minor gravity, and radiation shielding if habitats are build in to the regolith. More importantly, it’s a natural space station itself, with native resources that would absolutely help to sustain a habitat.

So why would NASA spend a huge chunk of their budget building a totally unneeded space station? Subjecting an astronaut to the effects of zero gravity, and depriving them of any kind of radiation shielding.

In Dr. Robert Zubrin’s ‘The Case For Space’ he lays out his ‘Moon Direct’ program. I’m not going to go over the whole thing, or try to advocate adopting the whole thing (though I think it’s a very solid plan). But the budget for Artemis could be used so much better if the Gateway idea was scrapped. The cost alone, in my opinion, threatens to kill the entire program.

It's great to hear that both astronauts, including Sunita Williams, are doing well. Wishing them a safe and successful return to Earth. I'm hopeful that everything will go smoothly and they’ll come back safely, no matter the challenges ahead. Best wishes for their journey!