Biden's NASA launches new mission to planet 'woke'

Human space travel is an inherently dangerous and unforgiving business and identity politics should play no role in our taxpayer funded space program.  And yet…here we are.

Back in June of 2021, under orders from the Biden White House, NASA launched a new mission to the planet "Woke." NASA described the "Mission Equity" initiative as "a comprehensive effort to assess expansion and modification of agency programs, procurements, grants, and policies, and examine what potential barriers and challenges exist for communities that are historically underrepresented and underserved."

In other words, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is now the filter through which NASA decisions run.

In May of this year during a hearing of the Senate Commerce Committee, two Republican senators, Eric Schmitt from Missouri, and Ted Cruz from Texas, rightfully took issue with NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and what Schmitt described as "misguided woke policies related to climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion" set forth by the Biden administration.

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In his opening remarks, Cruz stressed in part: "Looking at this year’s budget request, I see things like $22 million for the quote ‘Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity,' which has little to do with what you have called a space race between the free world and China."

Schmitt then added: "I can assure you that China has no interest in out DEI-ing us, and they’re not intimidated at all by this divisive, radical policy that’s found its way in this budget."

Indeed.

With its military controlled space program, China has made it clear that it intends to dominate space from earth orbit to the surface of the moon and…beyond.  As it continually war-games how to take out the satellites which ensure our military, economic, and communications security, NASA is worrying about proper pronouns and declaring that a woman and a person of color must lead us back to the moon.

Why?

A focus on "Identity politics" now seems to be the driving force behind our new moon program.  "Fifty-five years ago, we were on the moon," says NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "Now we’re going back with the first woman and first person of color."

While commenting on the new Artemis program – "Artemis" being the twin sister of the God Apollo in Greek Mythology – President Biden tweeted out: "This ship will enable the first woman and first person of color to set foot on the lunar surface."

While addressing the National Space Council, Vice President Kamala Harris stressed: "The Artemis Program will return American astronauts to the Lunar surface, and as Madam Director mentioned, it will include the first woman and person of color."

The Biden White House and the Biden-administration controlled NASA seems consumed by identity politics when it comes to returning U.S. astronauts to the moon.

In October of 2021 in a story from the far-left Associated Press headlined: "NASA’s Nelson: Astronauts no longer exclusive to white men" NASA administrator Bill Nelson told a group of students:

"The astronaut corps looks a lot different. They’re not all white male test pilots, now they’re women and they’re people of color and they’re PhDs and they’re medical doctors and they’re scientists.  It’s faces just like your faces. The faces of America."

The NASA logo is seen at its headquarters in Washington, D.C., on June 7, 2022.  ((Photo by STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images))

Newsflash to Nelson and the far-left AP: Women, people of color, PhDs, and medical doctors have been astronauts since 1978 when NASA appointed the first six women to its astronaut corps.  Sally Ride became the first American woman to fly in space in June of 1983. Two months later, Guion Bluford made history on August 30, 1983, when he became the first African American in space.

Why all the identity politics now?

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NASA is hoping to return to the moon with its Artemis III launch most likely in 2026 at the earliest. The Orion spacecraft for that mission will house four astronauts.  All four should be there because they are the best of the best.

If the top four of the U.S. Astronaut corps -- in terms of experience, proficiency, and judgment -- are women, then those four women should be the crew for Artemis.  Period.

NASA keeps stressing it wants to reach those who are "Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color" as well as "lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons."

Again, if anyone from any one of those communities is the best of the best, they should be hired immediately.  That said, they should not be hired over a much more qualified candidate simply because NASA is seeking to check an identity politics box.

Human space travel is incredibly complicated, dangerous, and unforgiving.  In real life, achievement based upon merit must still matter when lives are at stake.

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Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official and author of the book "The 56: Liberty Lessons from Those Who Risked All to Sign the Declaration of Independence."