Bridenstine has served as a Republican congressional representative from Oklahoma since 2013, and will now become NASA’s 13th director. This appointment was far more controversial than previous candidates for the directorship, with his confirmation barely passing the Senate in a 50-49 vote.
The close vote was split along party lines, with Democratic senators expressing reservations about Bridenstine’s aptness for the role. For example, Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) suggested that it was inappropriate to appoint someone with a primary background in politics to an a-political position that required scientific expertise. Florida’s Republican senator—Marco Rubio—also expressed concerns about Bridenstine’s nomination earlier in the year, but ultimately joined fellow Republicans in the Senate in voting to confirm the nominee.
Notably, Senator Tammy Duck (D-IL) cast her “no” vote on the floor of the senate while holding her newborn child. She is the first woman to give birth while serving as a senator.
During the senate hearing, Bridenstine promised to uphold NASA’s mission of public service and scientific innovation.
The confirmation of Bridenstine comes as President Trump has sought to re-shape the future direction of NASA and its role in the broader scientific community. For example, the President has expressed skepticism about many of the terrestrial programs run by the agency, such as collecting and distributing data related to climate change.
At the same time, he has been an enthusiastic supporter of expanding the agency’s engagement in space exploration. For example, in December of 2017, President Trump signed a directive outlining his vision of launching manned missions to the moon, with an aim of eventually accomplishing manned trips to Mars. Trump has also recently expressed interesting in developing the U.S.’s military capabilities in space, tentatively calling this new initiative the “Space Force.”
It remains to be seen how effective Bridenstine will be in executing the President’s agenda once he takes up his new post. One of the major trends he will be tasked with orchestrating is the rapid development of privatized space exploration. Companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX have sought to take on many roles formerly played by NASA. This includes offering alternative means of delivering payloads to the International Space Station and, ultimately, manned travel beyond the Earth. The President has expressed enthusiasm for these privatized initiatives, and will be looking to Bridenstine to competently coordinate with these companies into the future.
