Isaacman Admits NASA Has Lost Important Manpower Which Must Be Rebuilt

Feb. 14—A Feb. 6 directive by the new NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman calls for rebuilding much of the capability lost by the space agency over the last few years through attrition and neglect, and, more recently, by the massive cuts in the federal workforce by the Trump Administration and Isaacman’s friend, Elon Musk. In the directive, Isaacman indicates that he intends to rebuild that capability and to maintain an in-house NASA workforce rather than relying on outside contractors, which has been the trend over the last decade or more.

Since his confirmation, Isaacman, a former private astronaut and billionaire, says he has visited all of the NASA facilities and talked with employees, and in the directive, he openly admits the obvious: that the agency has lost much of its own engineering and operational capabilities. He also notes the added costs of relying on outside industry for core competencies. While this goes against the grain of overall Trump policy, which was a big factor in the more recent losses of NASA personnel, it would represent a breath of fresh air for the agency, and would help Isaacman convince those who remain that they are valued by management.

More important is the issue of creating a real strategy. Trying to beat China to the Moon may excite some people for some time, but to restore the real spirit of NASA requires a true strategy for human space exploration. While that may be above the NASA Administrator’s pay grade, it is the only thing that will assure a bright future for U.S. space and provide the necessary attraction to recruit the new generation that will be needed to replace much of the lost manpower.