While official Washington and the country beyond it were mired in recriminations and finger pointing about the collapse of Obamacare repeal and replace, President trump choose to highlight a success that took place recently during his Weekly Address to the nation. In a well-produced video that used footage of space exploration that dated back to the Apollo race to the moon. Trump touted his signing of the NASA Authorization bill, a rare example of bi-partisan support in Congress.
Trump choose to focus on the Hubble Space Telescope and the eye-popping images of stars, nebulae, and galaxies that it has returned over the years.
He also looked ahead to the James Webb Space Telescope, due to be launched in 2018, which he said would further unlock the secrets of the universe.
To be sure, the president was not more specific about his plans for future space exploration, resorting to the usual soaring platitudes. But the fact that he focused on space at all when the news in consumed with controversies about Obamacare and illegal immigration is a fact that should be noted by all political observers.
Trump, like all politicians, likes winning. He seems to regard NASA and space exploration as areas where he can pick up some easy wins. Not too much argument exists that the country should pursue space exploration. A growing consensus is forming that we should go back to the moon along the way to Mars.
Some details are certainly to be worked out, including funding levels and how much the commercial sector should be involved. But that task should be much easier than reforming health care reform has proven to be. Sen. Ted Cruz has undertaken the heavy lifting in Congress and will, in due course, develop a blueprint in the form of a long-term NASA authorization bill in consultation with all of the stakeholders.
Trump’s remarks were also a rare example of his being inspirational rather than angry. He seemed to be trying to channel JFK and Ronald Reagan in expressing the awe and wonder that space exploration can engender. If the president can manage more of this sort of thing, he might just be one of the great ones after all.
