Saturday, July 1, 2017

PENCE TO HEAD NEW SPACE COUNCIL

    While the Corporate Media was busying itself with ridiculous tweets about face-lifts, President Trump was on the job. In a ceremony attended by Vice-President Pence and legendary astronaut Col. Buzz Aldrin---along with many other distinguished guests---Trump signed an Executive Order reinstating the National Space Council. Vice-President Pence was appointed to head the council.

      The National Space Council was abolished by the Clintons in 1993. Restoring it was a project cherished by Pence and, in October, 2016, Trump advisors reported in Space News that then-candidate Trump had pledged its restoration.

       The President gave a short, but inspiring speech at the ceremony reflecting on the vastness of the universe and how peoples came together under contemplating things higher than themselves. He expressed hope, too, that the Council would not only "restore American leadership in space"  but "inspire a new generation of children to look beyond themselves into the mysteries of the universe."

      The United States has fallen rapidly as the global leader in space exploration and technology during the last three decades. While we still hold a technological edge in deep-space exploration and research, Russia is completely dominant now in manned explorations, rocketry, and applied research. China is rapidly catching up to Russia and has developed some very advanced satellite and biotechnical systems. Just today, China unveiled a new heavy-launch rocket designed to deploy an advanced communications satellite.

      NASA head Robert Lightfoot applauded the President's decision. NASA formerly had a position on the Council, and stressed that it's importance in coordinating and aligning national interest with space policy has been sorely missed. When President Kennedy established the Council in 1961, the Departments of State, Commerce, and Defense were also represented. Though Pence hasn't announced the new appointees yet, he would prudent to include Education Secretary Beverley DeVos. Our dumbed-down public schools and corrupt universities are one of the main culprits behind our lack of progress in Astronomical Sciences recently. Pence stated that his goal was to make the Council "a central hub guiding space policy within the Administration" and would advise the President on issues involving these themes.

       Sandy Magnus, Chairman of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics attended the ceremony and told Space News that "We appreciate the Trump Administration's efforts to strengthen our national space enterprise and view this as an opportunity to create an integrated strategic approach to US Space endeavors." Mark Albrecht, who formerly headed the Council under President Bush Sr., praised Vice-President Pence as an "able and energetic leader who will ensure US Space pre-eminence for decades to come." Here's hoping that his prediction comes true.

       Space News also noted that, despite the significance of this event, there was no live coverage in the Mainstream Media nor even any announcement of the ceremony. We did some research and found the MSM headlines at the time of the ceremony, which read: "White House Declines to Recognize LGBTQ Pride Month!" Oh, well....



       

       

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