Latest news with #JanetPetro
Bloomberg
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Trump Names Sean Duffy Interim Administrator of NASA
President Donald Trump named Secretary of Transport Sean Duffy as what he calls an interim administrator of NASA, seemingly replacing current acting administrator Janet Petro. 'He will be a fantastic leader of the ever more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period of time,' Trump wrote on his website Truth Social. 'Congratulations, and thank you, Sean!'
Fox News
10-07-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Trump taps Sean Duffy to serve as interim NASA chief
President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced he is tapping Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to serve as interim administrator of NASA, a move the president said reflects the growing importance of space in national priorities. "I am pleased to announce that I am directing our GREAT Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, to be Interim Administrator of NASA," Trump posted to Truth Social. "He will be a fantastic leader of the ever more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period of time." The president praised Duffy's performance at the Department of Transportation, calling his tenure "TREMENDOUS," and sharing his work on air traffic control modernization and infrastructure revival. "Rebuilding our roads and bridges, making them efficient, and beautiful, again," Trump OF MUSK'S NASA NOMINEE ALLY PRECEDED SUDDEN 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' CRITICISM, TRUMP FEUD Duffy, a former congressman from Wisconsin and longtime Trump ally, accepted the role enthusiastically. "🚀 Honored to accept this mission. Time to take over space. Let's launch." he wrote on X. Duffy replaces Janet Petro, who has served as acting NASA administrator since January. Trump withdrew Jared Isaacman's nomination for the role in ADMIN PULLS JARED ISAACMAN'S NOMINATION FOR NASA ADMINISTRATOR, REPLACEMENT TO BE ANNOUNCED 'SOON' Isaacman, a billionaire private astronaut and longtime associate of Elon Musk, was nominated by Trump in December 2024 but faced mounting scrutiny over ties to Musk and SpaceX, which some officials viewed as a conflict of to The Associated Press, Trump said the decision to pull Isaacman's name came after a "thorough review of prior associations" and growing concern over "corporate entanglements." NASA has increasingly factored into the Trump administration's national defense, innovation, and economic agenda. Trump has long emphasized the strategic importance of space, launching the Space Force during his first term. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPThe White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
25-06-2025
- Science
Axiom Space launches 4 private astronauts to ISS, moves forward space station plans
After several postponed launches, Axiom Space's four private astronauts are finally on their way to the International Space Station (ISS). The multinational crew lifted off successfully aboard a SpaceX Dragon launched by a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A in Florida early Wednesday at 2:31 a.m. EDT. The Dragon will dock with the ISS at approximately 7 a.m. EDT on Thursday. In the final minutes before lift-off, SpaceX mission control wished the crew well, telling them to "Enjoy the ride and science the heck out of all your experiments." After the launch, it took about nine minutes for the spacecraft to reach orbit and begin its more than 28-hour journey to the ISS. SpaceX successfully returned the first-stage booster to Earth a little over seven minutes into the mission, with it landing nine miles from the launch site. The company plans to reuse the booster on a future mission. For a time, the launch was in danger of being scrubbed when mission control had an issue with uploading wind conditions to the Dragon's launch escape system. The data is crucial, as it enables the computer to accurately target an offshore splashdown location if the capsule needs to unexpectedly separate from the rocket in the event of an emergency. The mission was delayed several times due to mechanical issues with the Falcon 9 booster and the ISS itself. NASA postponed the launch temporarily so it could evaluate repair work made to the Russian-built and maintained Zvezda Service Module. For years, Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, has been attempting to seal air leaks in the module. In the days leading up to the Axiom launch, a "new pressure signature" was detected in an area with a long-standing leak. NASA said that the agency and Roscosmos have agreed on a technical solution to make the Axiom mission possible. "NASA and Roscosmos have a long history of cooperation and collaboration on the International Space Station. This professional working relationship has allowed the agencies to arrive at a shared technical approach and now Axiom Mission 4 launch and docking will proceed," said acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro in a statement. The AX-4 mission marks another milestone for Axiom as it advances plans to build the world's first commercial space station, Axiom Station, before NASA retires the ISS in 2030. Wednesday's mission is the fourth team to visit the ISS since Axiom began partnering with NASA in 2022. The astronauts use their time aboard the station to conduct research, undergo training and participate in various scientific activities. "The AX-4 crew represents the very best of international collaboration, dedication, and human potential. Over the past 10 months, these astronauts have trained with focus and determination, each of them exceeding the required thresholds to ensure mission safety, scientific rigor and operational excellence," said Allen Flynt, Axiom Space's chief of mission services, during a pre-launch press conference. The four-person crew is traveling to the ISS aboard a newly built SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. SpaceX says this is the second time the Falcon 9 booster has been used and the maiden flight of a new Dragon capsule—named Grace—that includes multiple design upgrades. "This is the first flight for this Dragon capsule, and it's carrying an international crew—a perfect debut. We've upgraded storage, propulsion components and the seat lash design for improved reliability and reuse," said William Gerstenmaier, SpaceX's vice president of build and flight reliability. Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and now director of human spaceflight at Axiom, is commanding the mission. Whitson, who has already spent 665 days in space across three long-duration NASA missions, also commanded Axiom's AX-2 mission in 2023, adding another 10 days in orbit. She now holds the record for the most cumulative time spent in space by a woman. "We're thrilled to welcome Peggy Whitson back. This will be her fifth trip to space—three with NASA and now two with Axiom," Dana Weigel, NASA's manager of the International Space Station Program, said. "She's made substantial contributions to ISS and now helps lay the foundation for future commercial missions." Joining Whitson on the AX-4 mission are astronauts from India, Poland and Hungary. This will be the first time that nationally-sponsored astronauts from those countries have visited the ISS. It has also been more than 40 years since those three countries sent someone into space. Indian Air Force pilot and astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, the mission's pilot, will be the second person from India to go to space and the first since 1984. Polish engineer Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewsk, a mission specialist and a European Space Agency project astronaut, will be the second person from his country to head to space and the first since 1978. And Tibor Kapu, a mechanical engineer and mission specialist, will be the second Hungarian astronaut to rocket into space. That country's last space mission was 45 years ago. "For India, Poland, and Hungary, this mission marks a return to human spaceflight after more than 40 years, and their first missions to the ISS. It's a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we work together across borders, disciplines, and cultures," Flynt said. The AX-4 mission will last up to 14 days, during which the crew will conduct about 60 scientific studies and experiments. The company said 31 countries have contributed to the research plan, and the projects will focus on biological, life and material sciences, as well as Earth observation. Axiom said that the work done at the station will help the company advance its goal of building Axiom Station, which would be the world's first commercial space station. To lay the foundation for its space station, Axiom plans to attach several of its commercial modules to the ISS while it's still operational. When the ISS is decommissioned, those modules will detach from the station and become part of the privately run Axiom Station. Unlike space tourism, which is operated independently of NASA and government support, the Axiom mission is part of NASA's private astronaut mission program. This private-public partnership provides selected commercial space companies with access to the ISS and technical and logistical support from NASA. "NASA's framework for private astronaut missions gives industry responsibility for launch, free flight, and landing," Weigel said. "It's an incredible time for spaceflight. These missions help train teams, build partnerships and shape the future of low Earth orbit," she added. SpaceX's Dragon program has completed 52 launches and 17 human spaceflight missions while safely transporting 66 crew members from 17 countries. It has facilitated over 1,000 research experiments in microgravity and delivered 300,000 pounds of cargo to the ISS.
Bloomberg
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
New NASA Boss May Not Take Over Till Next Year, Acting Head Says
NASA might be without a new administrator until early 2026, according to the acting head of the agency, casting doubts on the direction of the US space program after President Donald Trump last month pulled the nomination of Elon Musk's ally, Jared Isaacman. The earliest a new nominee could start the job might be in October but the process could last into March, Janet Petro, NASA's acting administrator, said on Tuesday in an interview.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA, German Aerospace Center to Expand Artemis Campaign Cooperation
WASHINGTON, June 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- While attending the Paris Air Show June 16, NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro signed an agreement with DLR (German Aerospace Center, or Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt) to continue a partnership in space medicine research. This renewed collaboration builds on previous radiation mitigation efforts for human spaceflight. As NASA advances the Trump-Vance Administration's goals for exploration on the Moon and Mars, minimizing exposure to space radiation is one of the key areas the agency is working to protect crew on long duration missions. With this agreement, DLR will leverage its human spaceflight expertise and provide new radiation sensors aboard the Orion spacecraft during NASA's Artemis II mission, building on previous work in this area during the Artemis I mission. Scheduled for launch no later than April 2026, Artemis II will mark the first test flight with crew under Artemis. "In keeping with the historic agreements NASA has made with international partners as a part of Artemis, I am pleased to sign a new NASA-DLR joint agreement today, to enable radiation research aboard Artemis II," said acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro. "The German Aerospace Center has been a valuable partner in Artemis, having previously worked with NASA to test technology critical to our understanding of radiation on humans aboard an Orion spacecraft on Artemis I and providing a CubeSat as part of Artemis II. Following a productive meeting between President Trump and German Chancellor Merz earlier this month, I am excited to build upon our great partnership with Germany." During the Artemis II mission's planned 10-day journey around the Moon and back, four of DLR's newly developed M-42 extended (M-42 EXT) radiation detectors will be on board, contributing vital data to support astronaut safety. This next-generation device represents a new phase of research as NASA and DLR continue working together to safeguard human health in space. Under the leadership of President Trump, America's Artemis campaign has reignited NASA's ambition, sparking international cooperation and cutting-edge innovation. The continued partnership with DLR and the deployment of their advanced M-42 EXT radiation detectors aboard Artemis II exemplifies how the Trump-Vance Administration is leading a Golden Era of Exploration and Innovation that puts American astronauts on the path to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. "To develop effective protective measures against the impact of space radiation on the human body, comprehensive and coherent radiation measurements in open space are essential," says Anke Pagels-Kerp, divisional board member for space at DLR. "At the end of 2022, Artemis I carried 12,000 passive and 16 active detectors inside the Helga and Zohar mannequins, which flew aboard the Orion spacecraft as part of DLR's MARE project. These provided a valuable dataset – the first continuous radiation measurements ever recorded beyond low Earth orbit. We are now excited to take the next step together with NASA and send our upgraded radiation detectors around the Moon on the Artemis II mission." Through the Artemis campaign, the agency will establish a long-term presence on the Moon for scientific exploration with our commercial and international partners, learn how to live and work away from home, and prepare for future human exploration of Mars. For more information about Artemis, visit: View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE NASA Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
