Who will the next NASA Administrator be?

According to nasawatch.com, the names still in play are "Steidle and
Walker, and to a lesser extent, Kadish and Worden (despite Brownback's
endorsement)."

A little information on each:

NASA Associate Administrator Craig Steidle:
* Retired Navy rear admiral
* Current head of NASA's Office of Exploration Systems
* Ran programs for F/A-18 and Joint Strike Fighter (Defense
Department's largest program)
* Won Defense Department's David Packard Excellence in Acquisition
Award, for streamlining military acquisitions
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2004Dec14.html
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/148/1
http://www.codeonemagazine.com/archi.../apr2a_97.html
http://www7.nationalacademies.org/as...esentation.pdf

Former Rep. Bob Walker
* Member of Moon-Mars Commission
* Former Chairman of the House Science Committee
* Member of SpaceDev's Board of Directors
http://www.space.com/news/staif_bush_040210.html
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=79
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=4320
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=8322
http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20030...2308-4284r.htm

Ret. Air Force Lieutenant General Ron Kadish
* Frontrunner candidate immediately after O'Keefe's resignation
announcement
* Director of Missile Defense Agency
http://www.af.mil/bios/bio.asp?bioID=5988
http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0107/14/smn.12.html
http://www.senate.gov/~armed_service...rch/Kadish.pdf

Ret. Air Force Brigadier General Simon "Pete" Worden
* Publically endorsed by Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS)
* Rumors of support from Robert Bigelow
* Former head of Office of Strategic Influence (shut down under
controversy)
* Doctorate in Astronomy
* Proponent of tracking Near-Earth Objects
* Proponent of private sector involvement in space exploration and
settlement
http://www.marshall.org/pdf/materials/230.pdf
http://brownback.senate.gov/pressapp....cfm?id=230179
http://cndyorks.gn.apc.org/yspace/ar...ggenworden.htm
http://www.fas.org/sgp/news/2002/02/dod022602.html

Who would you most like to see as NASA Administrator? Who do you think
will actually be picked? What can be done to try to influence the
decision?

I'd personally be happy with either Craig Steidle or Pete Worden,
although I think Steidle's chances are much better. I like Worden's
ideas better, but Steidle probably has more applicable experience, and
doesn't have the possible specter of the Office of Strategic Influence.
-- Neil

Do you have any idea why Ron Kadish's name was at the top of the list
of candidates last week? It seems that him being the former head of the
Missile Defense Agency has negative connotations for many people, and
would provide plenty of ammunition to those who accuse NASA of being a
front for the DOD.

On 19 Dec 2004 15:45:34 -0800, in a place far, far away, "Neil
Halelamien" made the phosphor on my
monitor glow in such a way as to indicate that:


I'd personally be happy with either Craig Steidle or Pete Worden,
although I think Steidle's chances are much better. I like Worden's
ideas better, but Steidle probably has more applicable experience, and
doesn't have the possible specter of the Office of Strategic Influence.

I'd be happy with Walker, too, though he's got no administrative
experience that I know of. The biggest problem with Worden is how
many bridges he's burned with his forthright NASA bashing in the past
(much worse than me, and that's saying something). It would make it
difficult for him to develop the necessary rapport with many at the
agency. Steidle seems like a logical successor, since he has the
requisite experience, and it would be a natural transition from his
current role in implementing the president's vision.

On 19 Dec 2004 16:58:06 -0800, in a place far, far away, "Neil
Halelamien" made the phosphor on my
monitor glow in such a way as to indicate that:

Do you have any idea why Ron Kadish's name was at the top of the list
of candidates last week? It seems that him being the former head of the
Missile Defense Agency has negative connotations for many people, and
would provide plenty of ammunition to those who accuse NASA of being a
front for the DOD.

If this message is for me, the answer is no, I've no idea.

Neil Halelamien wrote:
According to nasawatch.com, the names still in play are "Steidle and
Walker, and to a lesser extent, Kadish and Worden (despite
Brownback's
endorsement)."

A little information on each:

NASA Associate Administrator Craig Steidle:
* Retired Navy rear admiral
* Current head of NASA's Office of Exploration Systems
* Ran programs for F/A-18 and Joint Strike Fighter (Defense
Department's largest program)
* Won Defense Department's David Packard Excellence in Acquisition
Award, for streamlining military acquisitions
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2004Dec14.html
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/148/1

http://www.codeonemagazine.com/archi.../apr2a_97.html
http://www7.nationalacademies.org/as...esentation.pdf

Former Rep. Bob Walker
* Member of Moon-Mars Commission
* Former Chairman of the House Science Committee
* Member of SpaceDev's Board of Directors
http://www.space.com/news/staif_bush_040210.html
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=79
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=4320
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=8322
http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20030...2308-4284r.htm

Ret. Air Force Lieutenant General Ron Kadish
* Frontrunner candidate immediately after O'Keefe's resignation
announcement
* Director of Missile Defense Agency
http://www.af.mil/bios/bio.asp?bioID=5988
http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0107/14/smn.12.html
http://www.senate.gov/~armed_service...rch/Kadish.pdf

Ret. Air Force Brigadier General Simon "Pete" Worden
* Publically endorsed by Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS)
* Rumors of support from Robert Bigelow
* Former head of Office of Strategic Influence (shut down under
controversy)
* Doctorate in Astronomy
* Proponent of tracking Near-Earth Objects
* Proponent of private sector involvement in space exploration and
settlement
http://www.marshall.org/pdf/materials/230.pdf
http://brownback.senate.gov/pressapp....cfm?id=230179
http://cndyorks.gn.apc.org/yspace/ar...ggenworden.htm
http://www.fas.org/sgp/news/2002/02/dod022602.html

Who would you most like to see as NASA Administrator? Who do you
think
will actually be picked? What can be done to try to influence the
decision?

I'd personally be happy with either Craig Steidle or Pete Worden,
although I think Steidle's chances are much better. I like Worden's
ideas better, but Steidle probably has more applicable experience,
and
doesn't have the possible specter of the Office of Strategic
Influence.
-- Neil


Bob Walker was also appointed by President Bush to be Chairman of the
Commission on the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry.

He is a member of the Board of the Space Foundation and a member of the
Board of Trustees of the Aerospace COmmission.

Bob is adamantly free-enterprise, and is a significant proponent of
private sector commercial human space flight.

He also heads one of the most influential public policy companies in
DC.

"Neil Halelamien" wrote in message
oups.com...
According to nasawatch.com, the names still in play are "Steidle and
Walker, and to a lesser extent, Kadish and Worden (despite Brownback's
endorsement)."

SNIP

Who would you most like to see as NASA Administrator? Who do you think
will actually be picked? What can be done to try to influence the
decision?

I'd personally be happy with either Craig Steidle or Pete Worden,
although I think Steidle's chances are much better. I like Worden's
ideas better, but Steidle probably has more applicable experience, and
doesn't have the possible specter of the Office of Strategic Influence.
-- Neil

How about retired Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ron Fogleman? He's a member
of the Return to Flight Task Group and NASA and JPL advisory boards, and he
has extensive, diverse connections with key military and corporate entities.
He's also on Rumsfeld's Defense Policy Board.

Just a thought.

Lew