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30-Year-Old MIT Ph.D. Seeks Biological Family: Kidnapped 3 Times, His Turbulent Journey Finally Sees the LightWASHINGTON — A NASA authorization bill introduced in the Senate in the final days of the current Congress would have directed NASA to accelerate work on commercial space stations and address cost overruns on science programs. The NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2024 was formally introduced in the Senate Dec. 18 by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, along with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), ranking member of the committee. Other co-sponsors include Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), chair and ranking member of the committee’s space subcommittee, and Sens. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). The bill would have authorized $25.478 billion for NASA in fiscal year 2025, slightly above the $25.434 billion in the Senate version of an appropriations bill for the year and higher than the $25.384 billion requested by the agency for 2025. “This bipartisan legislation sets an ambitious course for America’s space program, ensuring NASA’s leadership from Earth’s orbit to the Moon and Mars,” Cantwell said in a Dec. 20 statement about the bill. With the bill’s other cosponsors, “we’re charting a strong course for America’s leadership in space exploration.” A particular focus of the 101-page bill is on plans to transition from the International Space Station to commercial space stations at the end of the decade. The bill makes clear that it wants NASA to handle that transition without any gap in the agency’s crewed presence in low Earth orbit. “The Administrator may not de-orbit the International Space Station until the date on which a commercial low-Earth orbit destination space station has reached initial operational capability in low-Earth orbit,” the bill states. It does grant an exception if the agency concludes that “technical issues” prevent continued safe operations of the ISS. The bill calls for an “an orderly, managed transition” from the ISS to commercial stations once such stations are ready, “in such a way as to maintain a continuous human presence.” The bill explicitly defines “continuous human presence” as the ability to maintain one or more government or government-sponsored astronauts in LEO on “permanent, on-going basis.” NASA had, as part of the development of a LEO microgravity strategy , opened the door to interpreting “continuous human presence” to mean a continuous capability to support humans in LEO, but not necessarily having people there permanently. The final version of the strategy , released Dec. 16, endorsed the “continuous heartbeat” concept of having people in orbit continuously. The bill would also have NASA somewhat accelerate the next phase of its Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) program to support the development of commercial stations. It calls for NASA to release a final request for proposals for the next phase of the CLD program to cover certification of the stations and initial services by the end of September 2025, with NASA making selections by the end of March 2026. The bill adds that NASA should select at least two providers in that phase, “subject to the availability of meritorious proposals and appropriations.” That is a slightly faster schedule than what NASA is currently proposing. In a briefing to industry earlier this month, NASA outlined a notional schedule for phase two of the CLD program that would release the final request for proposals some time in the fall of 2025, with selections in the summer of 2026. Another area of focus of the bill was on the cost of NASA science programs. It cited “immature and unreliable” cost estimates made in the early phases of missions, causing challenges to the overall portfolio of science missions as costs of those missions grow. “Relying on early cost estimates made prior to preliminary design review for science missions which then experience such cost growth may disincentivize program and cost discipline moving forward,” the bill stated. It called for a report by the Government Accountability Office on the “establishment of and compliance with” cost caps set for science missions. That interest in cost growth extends to Mars Sample Return (MSR), the campaign of missions to return samples from Mars that has suffered extensive delays and cost overruns, prompting an ongoing agency review . The bill would have directed NASA to provide, no later than 90 days after enactment, a new implementation plan for MSR with “realistic cost and schedule estimates.” Moreover, the bill would have directed NASA to enter into “firm fixed-price agreements with 1 or more United States industry partners” to carry out that revised plan no more than a year after the bill’s enactment. The bill, by contrast, said little about NASA’s space technology programs. It also endorsed continuation of NASA’s ongoing exploration programs, including the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft. One section, for example, is titled “Reaffirmation of the Space Launch System.” Those and other provisions are moot points for now. The bill, introduced in the final days of the current Congress, was not taken up by the Senate before it adjourned after the passage Dec. 20 of a new continuing resolution to fund the government through mid-March. Even if it passed, the House had shown little interest in this bill, having passed its own NASA authorization bill in September . The bill, though, may signal areas of interest by the Senate in the new Congress that convenes in January. Cruz and Cantwell will remain as leaders of the Senate Commerce Committee next year, with Cruz as chairman and Cantwell as ranking member in the Republican-controlled Senate. “This bipartisan legislation brings stability and certainty to NASA and the entire U.S. space program, including NASA centers like Houston’s Johnson Space Center,” Cruz said in the statement about the bill. “I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to advance a bold vision for our nation’s science and space exploration efforts.”
The King and the Prime Minister have paid tribute to Jimmy Carter following the former US president’s death on Sunday aged 100. In a message to the American people, the King expressed “great sadness” at the news of Mr Carter’s death, describing him as “a committed public servant” who “devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights”. He added: “His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977. “My thoughts and prayers are with President Carter’s family and the American people at this time.” Mr Carter, a former peanut farmer, served one term in the White House between 1977 and 1981 and spent his post-presidency years as a global humanitarian, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Carter had “lived his values in the service of others to the very end” through “decades of selfless public service”. Praising a “lifelong dedication to peace” that saw him win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Sir Keir added: “Motivated by his strong faith and values, President Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad.” Tributes to Mr Carter followed the announcement of his death by his family on Sunday, more than a year after he decided to enter hospice care. His son, Chip Carter, said: “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love.” Very sorry to hear of President Carter’s passing. I pay tribute to his decades of selfless public service. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time. pic.twitter.com/IaKmZcteb1 — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) December 29, 2024 US President Joe Biden, one of the first elected politicians to endorse Mr Carter’s bid for the presidency in 1976, said the world had “lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian”. He said: “Over six decades, we had the honour of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well. “With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us.” Vice President Kamala Harris said Mr Carter “reminded our nation and the world that there is strength in decency and compassion”. “His life and legacy continue to inspire me — and will inspire generations to come,” she said. “Our world is a better place because of President Carter.” Other UK politicians also paid tribute to Mr Carter. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he was “an inspiration” who “led a truly remarkable life dedicated to public service with a genuine care for people”. Scottish First Minister John Swinney described the former president as “a good, decent, honest man who strove for peace in all that he did”, while Welsh First Minister said he was “a remarkable man” and “a humanitarian and scholar”. Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair said Mr Carter’s “life was a testament to public service”. He added: “I always had the greatest respect for him, his spirit and his dedication. He fundamentally cared and consistently toiled to help those in need.” Mr Carter is expected to receive a state funeral featuring public observances in Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington DC before being buried in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. A moderate democrat born in Plains in October 1924, Mr Carter’s political career took him from the Georgia state senate to the state governorship and, finally, the White House, where he took office as 39th president in the wake of the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War. His presidency saw economic disruption amid volatile oil prices, along with social tensions at home and challenges abroad including the Iranian revolution that sparked a 444-day hostage crisis at the US embassy in Tehran. But he also brokered the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, which led to a peace treaty between the two countries in 1979. After his defeat in the 1980 presidential election, he worked more than four decades leading The Carter Centre, which he and his late wife Rosalynn co-founded in 1982 to “wage peace, fight disease, and build hope”. Under his leadership, the Carter Center virtually eliminated Guinea Worm disease, which has gone from affecting 3.5 million people in Africa and Asia in 1986 to just 14 in 2023. Mrs Carter, who died last year aged 96, had played a more active role in her husband’s presidency than previous first ladies, with Mr Carter saying she had been “my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished”. Earlier this year, on his 100th birthday, Mr Carter received a private congratulatory message from the King, expressing admiration for his life of public service
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The chair of NATO’s military committee warned business leaders to prepare for a “wartime scenario” and bring their production lines back home, rather than relying on China or Russia, to avoid blackmail or sabotage — as former and future US President Donald Trump has vowed to restore his “America First” agenda. Speaking at an event Monday for the European Policy Centre think tank, Dutch Adm. Rob Bauer said instability in global politics could leave businesses at the mercy of foreign governments, especially if war were to break out . “Businesses need to be prepared for a wartime scenario and adjust their production and distribution lines accordingly,” Bauer said. “Because while it may be the military who wins battles, it’s the economies that win wars.” The NATO military chair said Europe has already gotten a taste of this over the tumultuous Gazprom fuel deal , the terms of which Russian President Vladimir Putin stepped in to change following the European Union’s backing of Ukraine in 2022. “We thought we had a deal with Gazprom, but we actually had a deal with Mr. Putin,” Bauer said. “And the same goes for Chinese-owned infrastructure and goods. We actually have a deal with [Chinese President] Xi [Jinping].” The NATO military chief noted that 60% of all earth materials are produced in China, with 90% of the products also processed there. The bulk of ingredients for critical health care items, including sedatives, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and low blood pressure medicines, all come from China as well, Bauer said. He warned that it would be naive for business leaders to believe that the Chinese Communist Party would not stoop to targeting foreign business in its country to disrupt the economies of potential adversaries. The dire warning comes as Trump has vowed to prioritize an “America First” agenda, which could include setting 60% tariffs on most goods imported from China in an effort to protect domestic industries. Economists expect the policy to start early next year with 40% tariffs on imports, which would be a significant blow to China. The incoming president also claimed his first call from the Oval Office would be to his Chinese counterpart to demand he follow through on a $50 billion farming deal. The deal, made during Trump’s tariff negotiations in his first term, called on China to purchase $50 billion worth of American agricultural goods, on which he claimed Xi has failed to follow through. Experts say Trump’s plan would hinder China’s economic plan for 2025 by a whole percentage point, and it remains unclear how Beijing might respond. During the event Monday, Bauer also called on Trump and European leaders not to end the conflict in Ukraine with a victory for Russia, warning it would set a dangerous precedent for Moscow and Beijing to do as they please against the West. While on the campaign trail, Trump suggested a diplomatic end to the war that includes Russia being allowed to keep the territory it has invaded, which would be a significant win for Putin. Moscow currently controls about one-fifth of Ukraine after launching its invasion in February 2022, including Crimea and the vast majority of the Donbas, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. With Post wires