Among other things, our national approach to COVID-19 is about to change

[View this email in your browser]( [Open Ars Technica in your browser]( If you're reading this, then the country made it (or, technically, it appeared so when we scheduled this mid-day on Wednesday, January 20). Joe Biden has been sworn in as the 46th president of the United States, the transition was peaceful at least for inauguration day, and we can officially add our first active president to the [list of people who've declined interviews with Gaming Editor Kyle Orland](. Given how chaotic the run up to today has been (whether you define that in days, weeks, or years), it feels as if our collective focus hasn't yet shifted towards what's ahead. But given President Biden's long tenure in public office and his positions taken during the 2020 election cycle, we have a few clues. Biden [hated Facebook before it was cool](, and in the past he has expressed dissatisfaction with [Section 230 protections]( for social media platforms. He oversaw various tech policies areas under President Obama including intellectual property (hosting a [roundtable with Big Content]() and violence and tech (he later acknowledged [video games aren't the cause](). Biden also famously became the face of a bipartisan, national effort to [tackle cancer research]( after losing his son Beau to brain cancer (an effort that, um, did not have the same center stage positioning in the last administration). So for this week's Orbital Transmission, it's finally time to look ahead. We'll pinpoint a few of the likeliest initial priorities for a new administration coming into power at a wild point given the global pandemic still raging in neighborhoods across the US. Rome wasn't built in a day and COVID-19 won't be under control that quickly, either, but it seems evident a new approach is officially beginning. —[@NathanMattise]( Dealmaster's Deal of the Week Dealmaster's Deal of the Week Amazon Fire HD 8 (32GB, ads) for $60 at Amazon (normally $80) If you want a serviceable tablet for basic Web browsing and video viewing for as cheap as possible, Amazon's Fire HD 8 is a good value. This deal brings the 8-inch slate to within $5 of the lowest price we've seen. [$60 at Amazon]( Orbital Transmission 01.20.2021 Orbital Transmission 01.20.2021 [(image) ]( Biden's top priority will be tactically approaching the pandemic [Read Full Story »]( Biden's top priority will be tactically approaching the pandemic President Biden has already come out emphatically in favor of mask mandates and stimulus support to encourage people to stay home. But the COVID crisis of the moment (outside of its continued death toll) is a lack of supply and distribution. So "we will manage the hell out of this operation," Biden vowed last week when unveiling his five point logistical plan for righting the US' COVID response. Among the highlights, the President set a goal of working with FEMA to set up the first 100 federally-supported vaccination centers by the end of his first month in office, a start to addressing complaints to date over long wait times and convoluted sign up procedures. And Biden reiterated his plan to use the Defense Production Act to ramp up manufacturing materials needed to supply and administer the vaccine, such as syringes and personal protective equipment for vaccine providers. He also appears to favor getting the first dose in more arms quicker rather than holding an already limited supply strictly for administering second doses first. [Read Full Story »]( [(image) ]( Science will be driving policy, and climate change is a major focus [Read Full Story »]( Science will be driving policy, and climate change is a major focus “Science will always be at the forefront of my administration—and these world-renowned scientists will ensure everything we do is grounded in science, facts, and the truth," President Biden said when announcing a new cabinet designation for the administration's chief science advisor (Biden's nominee is Eric Lander, a principal leader of the Human Genome Project and a professor of biology at both the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Medical School). Underlying this sentiment, Biden has repeatedly discussed about the need to address climate change, to the point where it may have been his top priority without a global pandemic in progress. The president has promised to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement, and a [$2 trillion climate plan]( (focused on prioritizing clean energy, greening infrastructure, and creating jobs that build toward those goals) was a big Biden talking point on the campaign trail last summer. [Read Full Story »]( [(image) ]( For now, Biden's space priorities remain a great unknown [Read Full Story »]( For now, Biden's space priorities remain a great unknown Under the Trump administration, NASA's focus shifted back to the moon as VP Mike Pence's Artemis program called for a return by 2024 on the back of the government's big, shiny SLS rocket. Well, a new president was elected and it seems like SLS isn't quite as far along as anyone hoped, as it spectacularly failed its first hot fire test last week (lasting just 67 seconds instead of the planned 8 minutes). Jim Bridenstine was always going to retire with the start of a new administration (a common happening), but a change of leadership at NASA, in the White House, and on the all important Senate Appropriations Committee (since Dems won back the Senate and bumped AL GOP Senator Richard Shelby from his chairship) means the Moon in 2024 via SLS is almost certainly no longer the plan. Look for more clarity sooner rather than later given this was supposed to be a big spring of tests for NASA's rocket and the whole thing just keeps costing more money. [Read Full Story »]( [(image) ]( Ex-Under Armour execs are making your new favorite jeans [Read Full Story »]( Ex-Under Armour execs are making your new favorite jeans After years of working in the athletic apparel world, they took the best parts of workout clothes—comfort and flexibility—and applied them to jeans. #Sponsored [Read Full Story »]( [(image) Condé Nast Spotlight | The breaking news and top stories everyone is talking about. All in one place. The most popular stories from Vogue, GQ, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Wired, Architectural Digest and more. STAY INFORMED]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( Copyright © 2021 Condé Nast, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Condé Nast One World Trade Center New York, NY 10007 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences](newsletter=ars) or [unsubscribe from this list](newsletter=ars).