The "Athena" plan, a policy document leaked to Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, appears to be the brainchild of private astronaut Jared Isaacman if he had been confirmed as NASA's administrator. The 62-page plan proposes significant changes to NASA, including transforming it into an agency focused on achieving the near impossible in human space exploration and igniting the space economy.
Isaacman's team pared down a more comprehensive "Athena" plan devised by him and his advisors earlier this year after President Trump nominated Isaacman to lead the space agency. The leaked document suggests that Duffy, who was appointed as interim administrator following Isaacman's nomination withdrawal, is trying to protect his position at NASA.
According to sources, the Athena plan outlines a blueprint for Isaacman's tenure, which includes leveraging commercial space and extending public investment to achieve greater returns on investments in space exploration. This approach could potentially threaten the interests of traditional aerospace contractors who are now leaking the document as part of Duffy's efforts to maintain his position.
Duffy has sought to portray Isaacman as someone who would implement significant changes at NASA, painting him as a proponent of SpaceX and Elon Musk. However, the Athena plan does not seem to support this characterization, suggesting that Isaacman is equally bullish on Blue Origin.
The leaked document reflects priorities set by the Trump administration for human space exploration, including transitioning away from cost-plus contracts for key projects like the Space Launch System rocket and Orion. Instead, the plan explores repurposing elements of the Gateway to serve as a nuclear-powered tug vehicle.
In summary, the Athena plan appears to be a response by Isaacman's team to the Trump administration's goals for NASA, aiming to shift the agency towards more commercial space industry involvement while protecting taxpayer investment.
Isaacman's team pared down a more comprehensive "Athena" plan devised by him and his advisors earlier this year after President Trump nominated Isaacman to lead the space agency. The leaked document suggests that Duffy, who was appointed as interim administrator following Isaacman's nomination withdrawal, is trying to protect his position at NASA.
According to sources, the Athena plan outlines a blueprint for Isaacman's tenure, which includes leveraging commercial space and extending public investment to achieve greater returns on investments in space exploration. This approach could potentially threaten the interests of traditional aerospace contractors who are now leaking the document as part of Duffy's efforts to maintain his position.
Duffy has sought to portray Isaacman as someone who would implement significant changes at NASA, painting him as a proponent of SpaceX and Elon Musk. However, the Athena plan does not seem to support this characterization, suggesting that Isaacman is equally bullish on Blue Origin.
The leaked document reflects priorities set by the Trump administration for human space exploration, including transitioning away from cost-plus contracts for key projects like the Space Launch System rocket and Orion. Instead, the plan explores repurposing elements of the Gateway to serve as a nuclear-powered tug vehicle.
In summary, the Athena plan appears to be a response by Isaacman's team to the Trump administration's goals for NASA, aiming to shift the agency towards more commercial space industry involvement while protecting taxpayer investment.
This whole thing is quite intriguing... I think Jared Isaacman's "Athena" plan is actually a clever move to redefine NASA's role in the space economy 
. By focusing on commercial partnerships and maximizing returns on investments, he's aiming to create a more sustainable future for humanity's presence in space 
. The fact that it doesn't explicitly support SpaceX or Elon Musk suggests that Isaacman might be playing a long game, building alliances with other industry players like Blue Origin 
. It'll be interesting to see how this plan unfolds and whether Duffy's efforts to undermine it ultimately backfire 
.
. The idea of transforming the agency into a space exploration powerhouse with a focus on commercial space involvement is pretty exciting 
. I'm curious to see how this whole thing plays out 
.
! i think it's awesome that jared isaacman's team is pushing for a more commercial approach at nasa - we need to think outside the box (or in this case, the galaxy) when it comes to space exploration 
. it makes total sense that they'd want to leverage private companies like blue origin and spacex to achieve their goals 
what do u guys think about nasa going in a more commercial direction?
[A photo of Elon Musk with an 'I'm not responsible' face 
] 
. No more cost-plus deals for NASA projects, it's time to get money back from investments in space exploration 
! 
.
. Like, who hasn't had to navigate office politics at some point? But seriously, the Athena plan sounds like a good idea - using private space companies and leveraging commercial interest could really help NASA achieve more in space exploration 
.
... but also wonder how it'll affect those traditional aerospace contractors who are already feeling the squeeze 
... hope Isaacman's team can make some of these big changes happen without too much drama 
. The fact that Isaacman is open to working with either company just shows he's a team player 
. Duffy trying to paint him as some kinda pro-SpaceX Elon Musk guy? Please 
and i'm low-key impressed 
the way he's trying to repurpose elements of the gateway is pure genius 
And what about the taxpayers who are already being hit with cost-plus contracts and whatnot? 
i mean, who else is gonna make space econ work?? 
gotta support him even if he's not officially confirmed yet 
but at the end of the day, it's all about gettin that space tech to the ppl