Biden nominates former Democratic senator as Nasa chief

WASHINGTON: The White House announced on Friday that President Joe Biden was tapping Bill Nelson, a former Democratic senator for Florida who once flew on a Space Shuttle and helped craft key space legislation as his Nasa chief.

The nomination appears to confirm Biden’s interest in maintaining US leadership in space as Nasa prepares to return to the Moon under the Artemis programme, while pivoting towards commercial partnerships for missions in low-Earth orbit.

Biden has also signaled that climate change research will be a top priority for the agency. If confirmed, Nelson will succeed ex-administrator Jim Bridenstine, who was picked by former president Donald Trump and stepped down on January 20.

Bridenstine’s own nomination was initially met with deep skepticism as a result of his controversial political positions when he was a Republican member of the House of Representatives, including opposing the scientific consensus on climate change.

But he came to be respected as an able Nasa administrator, and his experience in Congress proved invaluable in marshalling support for the agency’s goals. He also reversed his position on climate.