As an apparent change of administration proceeds apace, one likelihood is that Jim Bridenstine will not run NASA under a Biden presidency. Bridenstine recently took himself out of the running. His stated reason is that Team Biden will need someone whom it can trust and work with. Bridenstine, even though he has been relentlessly nonpartisan in his stewardship of the space agency, remains a Republican.

Bridenstine will be a tough act to follow. Despite having been roughed up during his confirmation hearings, he won over his former critics. Bridenstine has been rightfully praised for his stewardship of the Artemis return to the moon program and for getting the commercial crew program literally off the launch pad. He will be missed, though very likely, since he is just 45, Bridenstine’s career of advancing the cause of space exploration is far from over.