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Illustrations by the artist representing Boeing's CST-100 Starliner (left) and SpaceX CX Dragon capsules in orbit.
Credit: Boeing / SpaceX
NASA plans to launch a comprehensive security review of SpaceX and Boeing, the two US private companies mandated to send astronauts to and from the agency to the International Space Station, announced today the Washington Post (November 20th).
The review, which is expected to begin next year and last for months, was motivated largely by the behavior of SpaceX's founder and CEO, Elon Musk, on Joe Rogan's comedian podcast in September, three months later. Unidentified officials told Christian Davenport of the Washington Post.
Musk drank a sip of whiskey and took a puff of marijuana during his 2.5 hour stint on The Joe Rogan Experience, broadcast live on the Web.
Marijuana use is legal in California, where the podcast was recorded. Be that as it may, Musk's actions "have increased the levels at the highest level and pushed the agency to take a close look at corporate culture," said the people, "wrote Davenport.
"If I see something inappropriate, the main concern for me is the culture that led to this inadequacy and NASA's involvement in that," said Jim Bridenstine, NASA Administrator, Davenport. "As an agency, we are not only leading ourselves, but also our contractors, and we must show the American public that when we put an astronaut on a rocket, it will be safe."
SpaceX and Boeing plan to launch the first crew flights of their astronaut taxis – known as Crew Dragon and CST-100 Starliner – next year, respectively. The imminence of these milestones contributed to the next survey, said Bridenstine.
The head of NASA pointed out that he "had a lot of confidence in the SpaceX team". But he also told Davenport that "culture and leadership are starting at the top, and anything that might challenge the culture of safety needs to be addressed immediately."
There are many more details in the history of the Washington Post. Read it here.
Mike Wall's book on the search for extraterrestrial life, "Over there"(Grand Central Publishing, 2018, illustrated by Karl Tate) is out now. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. follow us @Spacedotcom or Facebook. Originally published on Space.com.
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