TWiS 204: A New NASA - Artemis 2 Firsthand, and Isaacman Shakes up NASA!

We've seen NASA go through a lot of drama this year, and recently, some remarkable changes have been announced under the new administrator, Jared Isaacman. We're taking a deep dive into what's changed, what's the same, and what to expect. But first: Tariq and Rod are in Houston monitoring the Artemis 2 mission, which launched flawlessly on Wednesday. It's been a thrill since launch day, which Tariq saw in Florida, and shows no sign of slowing. We're bringing it to you from the field, so strap on in and join us!

Headlines:

• Artemis 2 Launched This Week!
• Challenges Hit Artemis 2 After Launch: Toilet Problems and Personal Computing Issues
• Artemis 2 Crew Prepares for Lunar Flyby and Science Activities
• NASA Faces Another Budget Cut for 2027

Main Topic: New NASA, Artemis Overhauls, and Future Missions

• NASA Reshuffles Artemis 3–5: Landings Delayed, Missions Reassigned
• SLS Development Locked; Vulcan Centaur 5 Upper Stage Selected
• Aggressive Timeline for 29 Moon Missions and 22 Landings in Next Decade
• Push for Moon Bases by 2032 with $20 Billion Investment
• Gateway Lunar Station Put on Ice; Hardware Repurposed for Moon Base and Mars
• Surprise Nuclear-Powered Mars Mission Announced for 2028
• New Mars Helicopter Fleet to Debut as Part of Skyfall Payload
• Shift Away from Private Space Stations; NASA to Build New Core Module
• NASA Workforce Hit by Layoffs, Launches New NASA Force Hiring Initiative
• Geopolitics, China's Role, and Space Race 2.0 Narrative

(Video of Artemis 2 Launch Courtesy of Space.com)

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space.

Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts!
Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Sponsor:

• helixsleep.com/space