NASA Administrator Eyes Greater Collaboration with Pentagon

Air and Space Forces Magazine — “[NASA and the Pentagon] don’t need to have three bespoke initiatives underway,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said. That could mean using a NASA-certified launch vehicle for defense applications or sharing technology developments in areas like navigation, communications, and nuclear propulsion.

US Space Nuclear Plans Are Rescued After 2025 Setback

Aviation Week — Congress injected $110-120 million for NASA to further nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) research and development and $50 million for nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) efforts under the recently passed appropriations bill. New NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has embraced nuclear propulsion and fission surface power as core to the agency’s mission.

Next Up in Pentagon’s Push for Defense Industry Reforms: Space

Air and Space Forces Magazine — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth exhorted the U.S. space industry to step up its efforts in a forceful Feb. 2 speech at Blue Origin in which he called for a new era of American “space dominance.” Hegseth’s remarks were part of his “Arsenal of Freedom” tour of American defense firms across the country, in which he has touted acquisition reforms made last fall

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Last updated on - January 5, 2026