By Paul Vernon / AFP Getty Images
On Tuesday, about a dozen space officials, who met virtually to simulate how the National Space Council could function during the Biden administration, should win the Democratic Party candidate in the 2020 presidential election.
The American Foreign Policy Council described it as a “close-door” and “season-based simulation” to understand how the Biden administration would think through important space events. Invitations were sent to aerospace industry officials, for whom Biden could be called upon to serve as administration advisers or to fill key leadership roles. The event was not organized at the behest of the Biden campaign.
Invitations for participants from the nonprofit organization explained that they would be assigned various roles, such as NASA’s administrator and head of other agencies, such as the Department of Defense and the Department of Commerce. Participants will then act as a “national space conference” for battle game scenarios.
“The simulation mediator will provide the expected year-to-year headlines, and members of the National Space Council will play a role and discuss how they will respond in each situation,” the invitation said. “We hope to bring about 12 individuals with expertise in the space enterprise into the field, who can certainly play a role of interests and responses, and develop ideas for advance policy under democratic administration and individuals who can be part of the brain trust of such an administration.”
The meeting was not public and was held under the Chatham House rule, so two sources familiar with what happened declined to comment. ““It was a great group of people, well-executed from the point of view of possible circumstances arising in the next administration,” said one source. “It was a healthy, serious dialogue that was respectful and well done.”
About a dozen officers took part. Attendees include two former astronauts, Charlie Bolden and Pam Melroy, who have worked in space policy since retirement. Bolden was the administrator of NASA under President Obama. Former senior NASA officials also attended – Mike French, chief of staff under Bolden, and Doug Loverro, head of the human astronaut for the Trump administration. Loverro was forced to step down in February and is now under investigation for improper contact with Boeing. The meeting was also attended by industry leaders including entrepreneur Rick Tumlinson and Mark Berkowitz of Lockheed Martin.
Although some participants in the meeting may be involved in the future biden administration, sources say there are no formal formal advisors yet for the campaign specifically for the space. It is expected that such a group will be named only after the election, if Biden wins, to help draw his transition team on issues related to his place.
