The Fight for NASA Administrator Is Getting Dirty

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A Battle for Control: Inside the Leaked NASA Plan and the Power Struggle at the Top

The nomination process for NASA Administrator has hit a snag, with a confidential document revealing radical changes to the agency's direction. At the center of the storm is billionaire Jared Isaacman, who had been nominated by President Trump but was pulled back in May due to concerns over his past Democratic campaign donations and ties to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

According to sources, Isaacman has since resubmitted his nomination, and a shortened version of the full manifesto, titled "Athena," has surfaced. The 62-page document outlines major changes aimed at reorganizing and reenergizing NASA, focusing on American leadership in space, unlocking the orbital economy, and accelerating world-changing discoveries.

However, the document's release appears to be linked to a power struggle within the agency, with Acting Administrator Sean Duffy reportedly attempting to sabotage Isaacman's chances of re-nomination. Sources suggest that Duffy shared the document with legacy space contractors to gain support for his permanent installation as NASA administrator, although this claim has not been independently verified.

The Athena plan is seen as a game-changer for NASA, proposing significant reforms to operate the agency more like a business. This would involve increasing reliance on the commercial space industry and potentially canceling programs before objectives are achieved. The document also calls for an internal investigation into every agency center, consolidating mission control functions, and reorganizing the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

While some see these changes as necessary for the agency's survival, others argue that they fundamentally misunderstand the nature of scientific funding and government operations. With Isaacman gaining support from lawmakers and recently meeting with Trump to discuss another nomination, the question remains whether he can overcome Duffy's efforts to secure the role.

The battle for control at NASA has reached a boiling point, with the future of the agency hanging in the balance. As tensions rise, one thing is clear: whoever emerges as the next Administrator will have a significant impact on the country's space program and beyond.
 
🚀💡 just read that a leaked doc called "Athena" is causing major drama at NASA, with billionaire Jared Isaacman trying to take over and Acting Admin Sean Duffy trying to sabotage him 🤔👊. like, can't we just focus on exploring space already?! 🚫 but seriously, these changes could be big, might make NASA more business-like... idk, what do u think? 🤷‍♂️ should they prioritize profits over science? 🤑🔬 or is this the future of space travel? 🚀👀 [link to full "Athena" doc](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-20/nasa-leaked-plan-reveals-radical-changes-to-agency-s-direction)
 
I'm low-key hyped about this whole thing 🤯! Like, can you imagine NASA being run like a real business? It sounds crazy, but I think it could be a game-changer for the agency. I mean, we've seen it with private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin already doing some pretty innovative stuff in space exploration. But for NASA to adopt that same mindset... wow.

On one hand, I get why some people are skeptical about these changes. Like, isn't NASA all about scientific discovery and pushing the boundaries of human knowledge? Doesn't that mean we can't just think like a business? 🤔 And what about those legacy contractors who might be, you know, affected by these reforms?

But at the same time... let's be real, NASA has been around for like, ever, and it needs to adapt if it wants to stay relevant. If Jared Isaacman can make this work, I'd be totally here for it 💥. And honestly, if it means we get more resources poured into actual space exploration, I'm all in 🚀.

What do you guys think? Are you pro-Athena or pro-Duffy? 🤔
 
🚀💫 I'm totally stoked about this whole NASA drama 🤯... like, who wouldn't want to be in charge of exploring the cosmos? But seriously, Jared Isaacman's plan is all about innovation and making the most of our space resources 🌎... it makes sense that he'd want to revamp things, especially after being pulled back due to some sketchy past donations 🤑. Meanwhile, Sean Duffy seems super salty that his chances are slipping away 🔴. Honestly, I think we need someone who's not afraid to shake things up and push the boundaries of what NASA can achieve 🚀... it's all about progress, right? 💪
 
🚀 just think about it, nasa needs some shake up, been stuck in same old ways for too long 🤯 if they wanna stay relevant, gotta take risks & innovate 💡 but at what cost? losing that sense of wonder & discovery 🌠 that's what makes space exploration worth it
 
🚀😒 I gotta say, I'm not impressed with this whole thing. If they're gonna change NASA to operate like a business, what about the actual science? Who's gonna be left to fund all those cool space projects? 🤔 It sounds like a recipe for disaster, if you ask me. And what's up with Jared Isaacman's connection to Elon Musk? Is that really what we need - more billionaires telling us how to run our space program? 🤑 I'm not buying it.
 
🚀💥 omg have you guys read this leaked NASA plan aka Athena? 🤯 it's like a whole different beast they're trying to reorganize everything into a more business-like model 📈 but some people are hella skeptical that it'll work out 💔 what I don't get is why they can't just stick with the status quo and focus on actual space exploration 🚀 instead of trying to make NASA a corporate giant? 🤷‍♀️

and can we talk about the drama going down between Isaacman and Duffy? 🙄 it's like they're playing some kinda space-age game of who gets to be in charge 💪 I hope someone wins because we need some leadership that actually cares about science and progress over just lining pockets 💸
 
I'm low-key worried about what's happening with NASA 🚀. They're proposing some major changes that could totally disrupt the way they operate, but are they thinking this through? 🤔 On one hand, it's good to see them shaking things up and trying to make the agency more efficient... but on the other hand, there are so many people who have dedicated their lives to space research and exploration - are we just gonna pawn them off on some commercial industry? 💸 I'm not sure what to think about Jared Isaacman being nominated again 🤔. Has he really changed his stripes since those campaign donations came up? 🤑 And what's going on with Sean Duffy trying to sabotage him? 🚫 It feels like a total power struggle... and the whole thing is making me question who's really in charge at NASA 😬
 
ugh this power struggle is getting outta hand 🤯... think about it, ppl NASA's mission is to push humanity forward not just politics 🚀... we need calm heads making decisions not drama queens 😒... duffy's trying to sabotage isacman's nom because he wants the job himself? 🤑... that's just shady 💔... and what's with all these radical changes to the agency's direction? maybe they should focus on collaboration instead of competition 👫...
 
🚀👊 So now we got billionaire Jared Isaacman pushing his vision for NASA, but dude's got baggage, remember he was part of that Democratic campaign back in the day? 🤔 Acting Admin Sean Duffy trying to sabotage him, talk about a power struggle... but you gotta wonder if these changes are really needed. 💸 I mean, who needs commercial space industry and canceling programs mid-stream? NASA's all about pushing boundaries, not just lining pockets with cash. 🚫 And what's up with this internal investigation and Jet Propulsion Laboratory reorg? Sounds like a classic case of bureaucratic chaos to me... 🤯
 
omg, this is getting crazy!!! 🤯 so like, NASA is supposed to be about exploration and science, but now it sounds like there are these super rich billionaires like Jared Isaacman trying to take over the agency... what even is that? 😱 how do they think they can just come in and change everything without consulting anyone else? and why is Sean Duffy being so shady about sharing this document with space contractors? 🤔 seems like he's trying to sabotage Isaacman's chances, but is it really for the best interests of NASA or is he just trying to get ahead himself? 🤑 i mean, what do you think would happen if they actually started operating like a business? would that even work for something as complex and expensive as space exploration? 🤔
 
🚀💥 I'm low-key worried about what's gonna happen if Jared Isaacman gets in there. Like, his ties to SpaceX are pretty weird, you know? And now this whole Athena thing... it sounds like some major restructuring that could shake up the agency big time 🤯. But at the same time, NASA needs a shakeup, right? All these years of just drifting along and not really innovating in space exploration 🚫. Maybe Isaacman's plan is the catalyst they need to get things moving again 💪. Still got my eye on Sean Duffy though, seems like he's trying to play both sides for his own gain 😒. Can't wait to see how this all plays out...
 
omg this is getting crazy 🤯 i remember when nasa was still like this super cool sci-fi hub, now it's like a giant corporate suit trying to figure out how to make money from space 💸 did they even realize we were leaving earth in the first place? and sean duffy sounds like some shady stuff 😏 i mean, who tries to sabotage someone for a job? not cool. but at the same time, is it really that bad to make nasa more business-like? 🤔 it's all just so... dramatic 🎬
 
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