How Trump learned to stop worrying and love space science
I keep coming back to that phrase in the description: he recognizes a cool thing when he sees it. That might be the most honest way to describe how a lot of people relate to space, regardless of their politics. You don't need to believe in a grand scientific mission to feel something when a rocket lifts off or when a rover sends back a photo from another planet.
What interests me is whether that personal appreciation translates into anything lasting. Space policy is expensive and slow, and the applause for a launch fades fast when the budget discussions start. I'd want to know whether the enthusiasm here led to concrete commitments, or if it stayed at the level of a spectator enjoying the show.
The bigger story, I think, is that space has become one of the few arenas where bipartisan wonder still exists. If that can survive the partisan noise, it might be worth more than any single policy win. I'm not sure it will, but it's a thread worth pulling.