Former NASA chief takes helm of national security space firm

"While he was at NASA, Bridenstine created the Artemis Program, which represents the space agency's efforts to return humans to the Moon in a more permanent way than Apollo. During his tenure leading NASA, Bridenstine championed commercial space as a means of reducing NASA's costs while increasing its capabilities."

"I think it's important, and I think he's making the right decisions for the right reasons. I also think it's overdue. He talks about making sure we're exercising our muscle memory, and that's what we need to do. I'm super excited about the success of Artemis II."

"Quantum Space is currently privately capitalized, having raised $80 million in Series A funding, and Bridenstine said he will be considering various opportunities to raise further capital. The company plans to launch its first Ranger spacecraft in July 2027 to demonstrate a number of the vehicle's propulsion capabilities."

Jim Bridenstine has joined Quantum Space, a privately-funded aerospace company with 75 employees founded by billionaire Kam Ghaffarian. Quantum Space has raised $80 million in Series A funding and plans to launch its first Ranger spacecraft in July 2027 to demonstrate propulsion capabilities, sourcing components from industry partners. Bridenstine, who created NASA's Artemis Program during his tenure, championed commercial space as a cost-reduction strategy while increasing capabilities. He now aims to support commercial space companies serving U.S. military needs. Bridenstine praised current NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman's efforts to accelerate Artemis launch cadence and expressed enthusiasm about the Artemis II mission's success.

Read at Ars Technica