Biden's space policy: One giant leap for climate change - POLITICO

Don’t expect a President Joe Biden to jettison the Space Force.

The space agency already uses satellites to study and understand the environmental changes that are causing more droughts, rising sea levels, more frequent deadly storms and natural disasters, while figuring out what human actions might reverse or minimize the damage.

“We believe in continuing the spirit of discovery that has animated NASA’s human space exploration, in addition to its scientific and medical research, technological innovation, and educational mission that allows us to better understand our own planet and place in the universe,” states the Democratic Party’s platform.

Bolden also says the former vice president is “a big fan of Mars,” which has been established as a longer-term goal for NASA’s human space exploration.

Another former NASA administrator who has endorsed Biden sees the former vice president as uniquely suited to expanding international cooperation on space exploration.

Biden is likely to also maintain another of Trump’s space achievements: the Space Force.

The Biden campaign declined to comment about the candidate’s space priorities, instead pointing to past statements depicting his support for the overall space program.

One is whether Biden would retain the Cabinet-level White House National Space Council now led by Vice President Mike Pence that has energized space policy over the past few years

Kamala Harris a high-profile role to bolster her resume for future political ambitions, said Peter Garretson, co-director of the American Foreign Council’s Space Policy Initiative

The Biden team has begun to consider who will lead the administration’s space efforts, including a number of contenders to be the first women to lead the space agency, according to an industry official who spoke on background to share ongoing discussions

One potential candidate mentioned by multiple space industry insiders is Pam Melroy, a retired Air Force test pilot and astronaut who serves on the National Space Council’s User Advisory Group

Refocusing NASA on climate change could allow Biden to frame space as integral to a number of his policy priorities, including economic recovery and workforce diversity