Concern is spreading in aerospace circles over the defeat of a powerful NASA congressional supporter in Tuesday’s election. The possible fallout has expanded from the initial worry about Rep. John Culberson’s favorite mission to questions about the Space Launch System (SLS) NASA is developing in numerous states including Alabama.
Culberson, who represents the Houston area including NASA’s Johnson Space Center, was defeated Tuesday by Democratic challenger Lizzie Pannill Fletcher. One ad produced by a political action committee supporting Fletecher poked fun at Culberson’s favorite project, the Europa mission to one of Jupiter’s moons thought a possible candidate for life.
“John Culberson’s ideas are out of this world,” the ad said. “He wants NASA to search for aliens on Europa.“
Europa is covered with ice, but scientists think there is an ocean under it. Those conditions might support some form of life.
The Houston Chronicle had a story Wednesday that said, “Culberson’s ouster could spell big problems for NASA’s Orion program, experts say.” In a similar report Thursday, the Atlantic magazine called Culberson’s defeat “perhaps the most significant loss” to NASA in the midterm elections.
Culberson chairs the House appropriations subcommittee that funds NASA. He’s supported the SLS program being managed at Huntsville’s Marshall Space Flight Center and the James Webb Space Telescope, both of which are behind schedule and in need of more funding.
Balancing the concern is the fact that NASA has many supporters in Washington, including President Trump and Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, who chairs the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. Other Alabama delegation members, including Republican Reps. Mo Brooks of Huntsville and Robert Aderholt of Haleyville, hold seats on committees with NASA influence.