This interview features a discussion with Jared, who recently went through the NASA Administrator nomination process. He reflects on his unexpected journey into politics, expressing a positive outlook despite the outcome, and emphasizes the importance of making a difference. The core of the conversation revolves around NASA's future, where Jared advocates for a significant reorganization to shed bureaucracy and "pet projects" that impede progress. He champions a multi-billion dollar government-led Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) program as the crucial next step for deep space exploration, arguing its superiority over traditional nuclear thermal propulsion and its necessity for efficient Mars missions, especially given the challenges of in-situ resource manufacturing. He posits that NASA should recalibrate its focus from areas where commercial space excels (like heavy-lift rockets) to critical technologies without immediate commercial viability, like high-power NEP. Jared also shares insights into his personal future, including continued engagement in commercial space, a potential return to politics, and his new project involving acquiring and operating F5 fighter jets for public display. Despite current budgetary concerns, he maintains an optimistic view of NASA's long-term prospects, citing strong bipartisan support and the growing involvement of private industry.
Summarizing the Transcript:
0:00 Interview Introduction: The interviewer catches up with Jared, noting his recent experience with the first private spacewalk and the significant changes since.
0:32 NASA Administrator Nomination: Jared discusses his unexpected nomination for NASA Administrator, revealing he was apolitical and focused on his space mission at the time. He found the journey thrilling and would do it again, despite knowing the outcome, emphasizing the learning experience and the belief in his ability to help.
2:03 Handling Public Scrutiny: The interviewer commends Jared for his exemplary conduct and communication during the nomination process, highlighting his ability to take the "high road" and show respect even when disagreeing.
2:40 On Being a "Piece on the Board": Jared humorously notes that in politics, one can be a "piece on the board and not even know it," anticipating his potential removal, but remains content with having had the opportunity.
2:54 Need for New NASA Leadership: He stresses the urgency for a new confirmed NASA Administrator to provide the necessary "political juice" for the agency to advance its programs and initiate changes.
3:31 NASA's Organizational Challenges: Jared identifies two critical needs for NASA:
Reorganization: The agency, like much of the U.S. government, moves too slowly with excessive bureaucracy and management layers that impede progress.
Elimination of "Pet Projects": Thousands of small programs, while individually good, collectively prevent NASA from pursuing big, "near impossible" endeavors that truly justify taxpayer contributions.
5:22 Advocating for Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP): He proposes a scaled-up, multi-billion dollar NEP program as the next major initiative, suggesting it could be the "next thing" for states currently invested in SLS.
6:29 NEP vs. Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP): Jared explains his preference for NEP over NTP due to:
Efficiency and Reusability: NEP allows for efficient mass movement and reusable "nuclear tugs" (spaceships) for missions to Lagrange points, Mars, and beyond, unlike NTP which would require constant hydrogen refueling.
Technical Simplicity: Marrying a nuclear reactor to an ion thruster involves minimal technical risks, primarily scaling up existing technology.
Surface Power: NEP would provide highly enriched uranium reactors usable for surface power on distant bodies like Mars.
8:49 Historical Context of Nuclear Propulsion: The interviewer and Jared briefly discuss the unfulfilled potential of past nuclear thermal engine projects like Nerva, lamenting their lack of flight.
9:52 Mars Return Journey and ISRU: Jared emphasizes that returning from Mars will require nuclear reactors on the surface to enable propellant manufacturing (in-situ resource utilization - ISRU), as solar power is insufficient.
10:36 Hurdles for Megawatt Class Reactors: The biggest challenge for megawatt-class reactors in space is the need for it to be a government initiative due to the use of highly enriched uranium, complex transportation, and indemnity waivers for corporations.
11:09 Recalibrating NASA's Role: He argues that NASA should shift its focus from developing heavy-lift rockets (which commercial companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin can now do) to supporting technologies without a viable commercial use case, such as NEP.
12:40 Terrestrial vs. Space Nuclear Reactors: Jared distinguishes between terrestrial micro-nuclear reactors (using low-enriched, super-safe fuels) and space reactors (requiring highly enriched uranium for efficiency at high temperatures and no refueling).
13:26 Frustration with SLS: He expresses frustration with the SLS program for not being new or exciting, and in some ways, performing worse than the historic Saturn V while incurring significant costs.
14:34 Artemis Program Review: While acknowledging the historical context for SLS development, Jared suggests the need to pivot from current spending (e.g., the "debacle" of Mobile Launcher 2, the expensive JAXA pressurized rover) towards more direct and efficient paths to lunar and Martian objectives.
16:25 Feasibility of Human Mars Missions: Jared believes human missions to Mars are feasible, relying on commercial heavy-lift reusable technology. NEP could alleviate the burden on Starship, enabling longer missions without requiring complex ISRU on Mars, which he considers a "monumental task."
20:09 SLS Obsolescence: He anticipates SLS becoming quickly obsolete once commercial alternatives mature, suggesting that current hardware might be sufficient for Artemis 3 and 4, after which an "off-ramp" will be necessary due to unaffordability.
21:09 Gateway's Purpose: Jared questions the "logical reason" for the Gateway station, suggesting its modules could be repurposed for NEP-driven missions instead of trapping astronauts in a less-than-ideal environment.
22:09 Jared's Future Plans: Jared is currently enjoying a break, flying and skydiving, while "information gathering" for his next endeavor. He anticipates more commercial space missions and possibly a return to politics, driven by his desire to help and tackle challenges.
23:30 New Project: F5 Fighter Jets: He announces his commitment to purchasing F5 fighter jets (known as the "MIG 28" in Top Gun) to paint them in NASA colors. His goal is to support NASA's inspirational mission through airshows and rocket launch flyovers, taking pressure off NASA's T38 fleet.
26:10 Hopes for Future Space Missions: The interviewer expresses hope for Jared's return to space, particularly for future Dragon missions and the potential Hubble rescue mission. Jared acknowledges Hubble's decaying orbit and the urgency of a solution.
27:38 Optimism for NASA's Future: Jared concludes by expressing strong optimism for NASA and commercial space. Despite proposed budget cuts and turbulent times, he notes overwhelming bipartisan support for NASA in Congress and the significant investment from private individuals like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. He firmly believes that "space's greatest days are ahead."