KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — How will space policy look under a Biden administration, and what could it mean for the Space Coast?


What You Need To Know

  • Biden has not announced a new NASA administrator yet

  • Biden not expected to roll back commercial program, since it was an Obama initiative

  • U.S. Space Force expected to remain

"I'm sure the Biden administration will put their own fingerprints on it," said Space Florida's Dale Ketcham.

President Biden's fingerprints will not only be on the U.S. space program, but also the skyrocketing commercial space ventures led by Space X, United Launch Alliance and soon, Blue Origin.

President Trump's policies benefited America's quest for space more than any leader in recent memory.

NASA received more funding to develop the Artemis program and the efforts to go back to the moon after nearly 50 years. paving the way for future missions to Mars and beyond.

"I don't anticipate any changes in going to the moon, I don't see anything significant in moving forward with the SLS and Orion Program," Ketcham said. "And certainly no changes on commercial crew program because that was an Obama/Biden initiative."

That could mean even more Space Coast jobs to meet launch operations demand.

Trump revived the National Space Council, dormant for more than 30 years. Vice President Mike Pence led the group in discussing policy and direction of the program.

During a visit to Kennedy Space Center last month, the VP announced the next cadre of Artemis astronauts, among them the first woman and next man to step foot on the lunar surface.

Will the newly-created Space Force survive?

Ketcham expects it to, despite some initial Democratic criticism to the idea.

"There will be some efforts from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party to roll that back, this administration's not going to do that," he explained. "That horse has left the barn, it's in place, they're going to stick with it."

Current NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine tweeted a goodbye on Wednesday before President Biden was sworn in. It's not known yet who his replacement will be.

President Trump made several visits to the Space Coast over his term. We will see if that mirrors a Biden administration.