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Judi Lynn

(160,219 posts)
Tue May 19, 2020, 06:49 PM May 2020

NASA human spaceflight chief Doug Loverro resigns on eve of historic SpaceX launch

Source: Space.com


By Mike Wall an hour ago

The timing is surprising.

Doug Loverro, NASA's chief of human spaceflight, resigned from his post Monday (May 18) after less than a year on the job, the agency announced today (May 19).

Loverro's resignation as Associate Administrator for NASA's Human Exploration and Operations (HEO) Mission Directorate is a stunning development, as the agency counts down to the first orbital crew launch from U.S. soil in nearly a decade, which will take place on May 27.

. . .

Though NASA described Loverro's departure as a resignation, Politico reports that there may be more to the story. Two industry sources told the outlet that Loverro was actually pushed out over disagreements with NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. Bridenstine made no mention of the shakeup today in remarks to the National Space Council, which is led by Vice President Mike Pence.

Loverro's departure continues a string of recent shakeups at the top of HEO.

Read more: https://www.space.com/nasa-human-spaceflight-chief-doug-loverro-resigns.html?utm_source=notification

25 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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NASA human spaceflight chief Doug Loverro resigns on eve of historic SpaceX launch (Original Post) Judi Lynn May 2020 OP
maybe he knows it's going to explode. BamaRefugee May 2020 #1
That was my first thought SledDriver May 2020 #4
My first thought, too. Delmette2.0 May 2020 #11
Me too. Ligyron May 2020 #14
Nope, worse ... it will succeed relayerbob May 2020 #17
Loverro has a distinguished military and civilian reputation on space matters Zorro May 2020 #2
That would be my guess... ewagner May 2020 #25
They are probably risking lives for a quick but risky operation Sucha NastyWoman May 2020 #3
Suddenly, I'm not feeling good about this... tinrobot May 2020 #5
We'll find out. We'll probably see another 'too soon' fuckup, along with a 'classified' coverup. ancianita May 2020 #6
Other articles mention a 'mistake on his resume' Calista241 May 2020 #24
Don't like it... Maxheader May 2020 #7
Mark this day....people will die....there is a rush on anything that could be good news ashredux May 2020 #8
My first reaction as well. They're pushing it to please the orange blob. hedda_foil May 2020 #15
Don't forget the Facebook satellite LiberalArkie May 2020 #9
There was many early NASA issues, overall SpaceX has been amazing. nt USALiberal May 2020 #20
Yes they have LiberalArkie May 2020 #21
Will we have any experts left in governmentmby 2021? Lonestarblue May 2020 #10
sure we do... noneof_theabove May 2020 #16
Of couretrump and pence know everything. notdarkyet May 2020 #12
Hmmm...brings to mind raygun's stunt not fooled May 2020 #13
They'll blame Obama. And maybe Hillary too. Talitha May 2020 #18
I've met Loverro, he knows what he's doing. cos dem May 2020 #19
Hmmm...wasn't Pence speaking to NASA today? Drum May 2020 #22
When is the launch? Bet it's just before the election, eh? machoneman May 2020 #23

Ligyron

(7,592 posts)
14. Me too.
Tue May 19, 2020, 07:37 PM
May 2020

But now if it does explode, or if anything goes wrong, they will blame it on his "incompetence" and perhaps even try to claim he sabotaged it and then ran away.

You just watch...

relayerbob

(6,510 posts)
17. Nope, worse ... it will succeed
Tue May 19, 2020, 08:03 PM
May 2020

The trumpers want to grab full credit over it, and tout an increasingly deranged Elon Musk as their hero - "liberating CA"

Zorro

(15,691 posts)
2. Loverro has a distinguished military and civilian reputation on space matters
Tue May 19, 2020, 06:57 PM
May 2020

Bridenstine is a Tea Party hack.

It may very well be that Loverro assesses the risk to be too high for the upcoming launch, which put him in conflict with Bridenstine's and Trump's push to return to space as soon as possible.

ewagner

(18,964 posts)
25. That would be my guess...
Wed May 20, 2020, 12:04 PM
May 2020

If he assessed the risk as too high it would be an embarrassment to the trump team...so they have to find someone who will assess the risk as "acceptable"....which could be very bad.

tinrobot

(10,848 posts)
5. Suddenly, I'm not feeling good about this...
Tue May 19, 2020, 07:09 PM
May 2020

A GOP apparatchik in charge of the space program.

Elon Musk in charge of the rocket.

Then, suddenly, the true expert resigns.

Scary. I seriously hope nobody gets hurt.

Calista241

(5,584 posts)
24. Other articles mention a 'mistake on his resume'
Tue May 19, 2020, 11:06 PM
May 2020

but they don't go into further detail. I imagine we'll know more in the coming days.

Maxheader

(4,366 posts)
7. Don't like it...
Tue May 19, 2020, 07:14 PM
May 2020

This close to launching americuns into space for the first time,

in a long time...New tech...new ship...

And I especially don't like something like this happening where leadership

is nonexistent from the whiter house handjobs...

"National Space Council, which is led by Vice President Mike Pence."

Lonestarblue

(9,880 posts)
10. Will we have any experts left in governmentmby 2021?
Tue May 19, 2020, 07:21 PM
May 2020

Trump has quite thoroughly promoted know-nothing sycophants to important positions, allowing them to then force people with real knowledge out. Rebuilding competence in the federal government will be a monumental task.

noneof_theabove

(410 posts)
16. sure we do...
Tue May 19, 2020, 08:01 PM
May 2020

Executive Order #1
All EOs by the convicted con artist Donald J Trump are hereby null and void,
and reverted to the status before his EO.

Please contact us if you want your old position back.

--Joe Biden

not fooled

(5,791 posts)
13. Hmmm...brings to mind raygun's stunt
Tue May 19, 2020, 07:32 PM
May 2020

with Challenger, launching despite experts' concerns.

red don needs good publicity to distract from all of his catastrophes. I hope for the sake of the crew everything goes well.

cos dem

(895 posts)
19. I've met Loverro, he knows what he's doing.
Tue May 19, 2020, 09:08 PM
May 2020

There's not room for competency in this mal-administration.

machoneman

(3,952 posts)
23. When is the launch? Bet it's just before the election, eh?
Tue May 19, 2020, 11:06 PM
May 2020

Hey, Trumpy is killing a hundred thousand already....what's a few astronauts?

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