OBAMA AIMS TO AX MOON MISSION: I talked to some folks at the International Space Development Conference a couple of years ago who were really high on Obama — they thought he’d emulate JFK when it came to space policy. Not so much, as it turns out. In fact, we haven’t had a pro-space Democrat in the White House since LBJ. The “save the baby” approach is looking more sensible than “the audacity of hope.” But, then, that’s true across the board these days, isn’t it?

But this quote from Rand Simberg remains on point: “It’s not NASA’s job to send a man to Mars. It’s NASA’s job to make it possible for the National Geographic Society to send a man to Mars.” Will the Obama administration get NASA to focus on that approach?