NASA Up to Challenge of New Space Race

The U.S. is in a neck and neck race with China to set up a base station on the moon but NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman told an audience at NBAA-BACE Tuesday that the next step in human exploration of the cosmos will belong to America. “We will make sure the race to Mars is never in question,” Isaacman said during an on-stage interview with retired astronaut Charlie Precourt . He said he’s determined to restore NASA to the cutting edge organization that won the orbital space race and to propel mankind to other planets and beyond. And while much of the attention is on space, Isaacman said plenty of attention is being paid to advances within the atmosphere.

Isaacman said his campaign to restore “core competencies” at NASA and he cited the accelerated progress of testing on the X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft project as an example. The program, which is testing aircraft design and flight profiles to soften sonic booms and make commercial supersonic flight viable, has ramped up testing and is returning data that he said is encouraging. “We’re returning to high altitude, high speed flight,” he said. He was cryptic on how a legendary aircraft from the Cold War era might factor in that process. In response to a direct question from Precourt on the possible return to flight of the SR-71, Isaacman smiled and nodded but said the spy plane that was previously on display at Edwards Air Force Base has been taken inside for a good cleaning. Speculation is that NASA is investigating returning the airplane to service, possibly as a high speed chase plane for those “high altitude, high speed” projects.

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