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Trump Offered NASA Unlimited Funding To Put People on Mars by 2020, Report Says (nymag.com)

Posted by msmash on from the worth-a-shot dept.

From a report, based on a book by Cliff Sims, who worked as a communications official for Trump on his presidential campaign and in the West Wing: As the clock ticked down, Trump "suddenly turned toward the NASA administrator." He asked: "What's our plan for Mars?" Lightfoot explained to the president -- who, again, had recently signed a bill containing a plan for Mars -- that NASA planned to send a rover to Mars in 2020 and, by the 2030s, would attempt a manned spaceflight. "Trump bristled," according to Sims. He asked, "But is there any way we could do it by the end of my first term?"

Sims described the uncomfortable exchange that followed the question, with Lightfoot shifting and placing his hand on his chin, hesitating politely and attempting to let Trump down easily, emphasizing the logistical challenges involving "distance, fuel capacity, etc. Also the fact that we hadn't landed an American anywhere remotely close to Mars ever." Sims himself was "getting antsy" by this point. With a number of points left to go over with the president, "all I could think about was that we had to be on camera in three minutes .. And yet we're in here casually chatting about shaving a full decade off NASA's timetable for sending a manned flight to Mars. And seemingly out of nowhere."

8 of 600 comments (clear)

  1. Just realised... by YuppieScum · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...that he reminds me of Verruca Salt - "I want it NOW!"

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    1. Re:Just realised... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Well, he asked, didn't he? Isn't that what a leader is supposed to do? How is a real estate developer supposed to know the intricacies of space travel?

      I mean, Obama didn't know jack about health care, so he went to the insurance lobby for help. And you guys LOVE that.

  2. It is called a boss by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Sounds like someone is not used to having a boss. Managers ask unknowingly ridiculous things all the time. It is called having a job.

    J

    1. Re:It is called a boss by im_thatoneguy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You're bending over backward though to assign sane and skilled leadership skills to someone who does not have them. I will illustrate it with two different questions.

      Can we get someone to Mars before the end of my first term with infinite money?

      With infinite money, how soon could we get someone to mars?

      They're subtly different but one question is an intelligent question that identifies bottlenecks. The other is a vanity request.

  3. It's possible by CrashPoint · · Score: 5, Funny

    We could absolutely put people on Mars by 2020.

    But if you want them to be alive when they get there, it'll take a bit longer.

  4. Businessman by VeryFluffyBunny · · Score: 5, Funny

    Trump's one of those "businessmen" who think two women can bring a baby to term in 4 1/2 months.

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  5. If he'd been really astute by maroberts · · Score: 5, Informative

    ..he would have said "No, Mr President we can't get it done for 2020 but we can get it done for the end of your second term if you start the funding right now.!

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  6. Re:By 2020? by tomhath · · Score: 5, Insightful

    RTFA. The question was asked almost two years ago.

    And if you get past your derangement, it's a reasonable way to prod a bureaucrat into thinking big.