Keith’s note: Nothing personal against Jim Free but isn’t it odd that he gets to retire smoothly and WH/DOGE allows a personal press release – yet all the NASA people who have been – or will soon be fired – will simply vanish with no mention? Otherwise, thanks for your service Jim (seriously). You are getting out at the right time. Or … were you pushed out? “NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free to Retire After 30 Years Service“

Keith’s note: Update from NASA GRC: “DOGE has come to NASA Glenn. One contractor has been confirmed fired by DOGE. We’re scouring our WiFi and government computers and software for information. We’ve been instructed to answer DOGE employees with only “Yes”, “No”, or to refer them to our division chief. Everyone here is on the edge of their seat with terror and anxiety as you could imagine.”

Keith’s note: NASA PAO sent out a statement with more words than yesterday to talk about the probationary employee terminations – but they still do not have words to describe the impact of these firings: “NASA continues to work as quickly as possible to comply with the guidance and direction provided by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for the Deferred Resignation Program and probationary employees. The agency is in the process of validating hundreds of employees who responded to the deferred resignation offer before the deadline. Some probationary employees have taken the deferred resignation offer and those individuals have been, or will be, on administrative leave by the end of this week. NASA is working with OPM on exemptions for those in the probationary period in mission critical functions.”

Keith’s note: According to NASA sources the next big personnel action has been assigned and has an internal suspense date of 21 Feb 2025. It is the third part of a task titled “OPM: Guidance on Probationary Periods, Administrative Leave, and Details” and is based on OPM guidance. The action office is OCHCO. This is a “follow through on Probationary Email” whatever that means. No one seems to be exactly sure. The first task was “identify all employees on probationary periods” issued by OPM and completed on 24 January 2025. The second was “Follow-up submission (those who completed at other agencies). Follow up action provided in CHCO council call with OPM on 2/3 with a submission date of 2/5/2025. [Note – on 2/4/25, OPM granted NASA extension to 2/7/25] INTERNAL Action for all OICs – Request for Exemptions are due to [redacted] by end of day 2/5” and was completed on 7 Feb 2025. So … something is happening around 21 February i.e. this Friday or maybe next Monday. Details to follow.

Keith’s note: Cheryl Warner at NASA PAO is sending out a statement to news media – but (of course) not to NASAWatch: “NASA is complying with the guidance and direction provided by OPM. It’s premature to discuss the impact to our agency, at this time.” So … NASA fires hundreds of people – because they can – and were ordered to do so – and they knew that they would be doing so for weeks – and yet they cannot say what the impact will be on the agency. I’m so happy as a taxpayer to see all this detailed forethought being put into this downsizing activity.

Keith’s note: some good news out of NASA JSC, NASA GSFC, and NASA MSFC. Sources report that probationary employees at these centers have been exempted from being fired. I also heard that ARC was going to fire up to 50 employees. Unsure of how many people this good news covers – but every job saved is of value to NASA and to the employee’s family.

Keith’s note: The Planetary Society has distinguished itself by speaking out and standing up for its members and the people of the NASA space exploration and research community. Bravo. See “The Planetary Society Strongly Opposes Mass Layoffs of Probationary Employees at NASA“:

• The Planetary Society strongly opposes the sudden, indiscriminate dismissal of more than 1,000 scientists, engineers, and explorers at NASA — the largest involuntary workforce reduction since the end of the Apollo program. While we recognize the value of improved efficiency and structural optimization, any workforce changes should be in service of improving the agency’s ability to execute its mission. Indiscriminate layoffs do not serve this purpose.

• These public servants — many of whom are just starting their careers— represent the future of NASA. Their removal does not reflect their abilities or commitment to advancing U.S. interests in space, only that they chose to join the nation’s space agency within the past year.

• We urge the Trump Administration to reverse this arbitrary decision and work with Congress and other stakeholders to define a clear strategy for continued U.S. leadership in space and to ensure the nation’s space agency has the workforce necessary to succeed in its mission.

Keith’s note: I just spoke with Bloomberg Radio/Television about NASA layoffs, the future of the agency, and Jared Isaacman. [Audio]

Keith’s note: Multiple NASA centers will be announcing probationary employee “terminations” on Tuesday as well. A quick look at the news will show that this is happening across the entire Federal government. And this is just the pre-game show, folks. There is still a RIF to look forward to. As for the contractor community – things will probably suck even more.

Keith’s note: All probationary employees at NASA Ames will be sent email termination notices next Tuesday, 18 February 2025.

As we head into the long weekend, I want to take a moment to recognize President’s Day – a chance to reflect on the principles of leadership, service, and the pursuit of ambitious goals that move our nation forward. Those same principles fuel our work at NASA, whether it’s delivering science results, preparing for our next mission, or supporting each other. Thank you for your continued dedication to our mission. A few important updates for this week:

Keith’s note: the AI mapping of NASA management and employee structure has started at DOGE. This basic structure is online at DOGE now. Just follow the management tree and you will see that they are mapping out down to the sub-directorate level. They are already mapping employee age, time employed, and salaries. Knowing the tools that they have access to, their raw computer power, and unfettered access, I am certain that by the time they are done they will know quite a lot. And they will not necessarily want to openly share that data – or tell employees what individual information they have. Given the lack of obvious guard rails, this information may well involve various things that the government is not supposed to track – personally identifiable info like social media postings, and conceivably virtually anything you can already get through a basic commercially accessible ID check. And there will be errors that will only be caught after something illegal or inappropriate has been done with that info.

• Oh yes – this website is already creating stir: according to HuffPost: “The website states in tiny print at the bottom that its database excludes information from U.S. intelligence agencies. But an easy search shows that DOGE’s database provides details on the National Reconnaissance Office, the federal agency that designs, builds and maintains U.S. intelligence satellites. Not only are NRO’s budgets and head counts classified, but the prospect of Musk’s tech team meddling in sensitive personnel information is setting off alarms for some in the intelligence community.”

Keith’s note: A lawsuit has been filed by a group of employee unions in the U.S. District Court in D.C. against the current administration and its appointees regarding ongoing personnel actions.

• “The Unions bring this action to protect the workers they represent from the Executive Branch’s attempts to dismantle the federal government through the mass firings of hundreds of thousands of employees (those who are considered “nonessential” for purposes of a government shutdown and those who are in probationary status) and a pressure campaign on federal workers to quit their jobs through a “deferred resignation program.”
• I am not a lawyer but I find it odd that one of the names of Federal Agency and Department appointees mentioned as being a defendant is “MAKENZIE LYSTRUP, M.D.” For starters she has a Ph.D in astrophysics – not an M.D. Second she is the NASA GSFC Center Director. She does not run NASA. She is told precisely what to do in these personnel matters by NASA HQ. Her direction comes from Janet Petro, the “Acting” Administrator of NASA. Neither of these people are political appointees. Petro is also told precisely what to do – apparently by Darren Bossie, the Trump Administration’s White House liaison to NASA. Just wanted to clear that up, Union folks. Accuracy counts.

Keith’s note: I just had a strange exchange with another space-related media outlet. A rather nice, talented person. I am supposed to be retired. Indeed I was going to turn NASAWatch off this Spring since I am simply tired of doing this thankless task after 30 years. Then the current RIF disaster at NASA unfolded and – well – deja vu allover again – I guess there is still a need. I run this thing 100% out of my own pocket on a fixed income. Again, I am RETIRED. Yet this other publication wanted me to dig up and share sources with them so they can write stories (and make money). I will keep doing this as long as I get thank-you comments from y’all. But I’d much rather be climbing in the mountains with long-suffering Mrs. NASAWatch and writing my apolitical Astrobiology book. I am simply trying to help. Help me do that – but please don’t try and take undue advantage of that interest. FWIW this is increasingly where my mind is at – and I go there in my mind every day now to escape the gathering storm: “My Star Trek Episode at Everest ” – from 2009. Ad Astra y’all.

Keith’s note: According to The Hill: “A federal judge declined to further pause a federal government buyout program, enabling the government to forge ahead with its “Fork in the Road” program. … The decision allows the Trump administration to close a window to accept the deal that the government originally planned to end on Feb. 6. That deadline was extended while O’Toole weighed a bid by unions to temporarily block the Office of Personnel Management from carrying out the program entirely.”

by Mark V. Sykes, Ph.D., J.D. – CEO and Director, Planetary Science Institute

To the American Public and Government Officials:

I would like to share a positive perspective of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility from the context of a science institute. At a time when these principles are being purged by our government from a large swath of federal programs, you should know they actually advance science, thereby advancing the interests of our country, and are important for the workplace. In the course of this, I would also like to take this opportunity to show you that scientists share much of your experiences and backgrounds as people, and something about the process of science itself.

Keith’s note: This new RIF directive has appeared online at NASA: https://nodis3.gsfc.nasa.gov/OPD_Docs/NID_3351_150_.pdf: NASA Interim Directive Reduction In Force (RIF) For NASA Employees – NID 3351.150 – NPD 3000.1C – Effective Date: February 11, 2025 – Expiration Date: February 11, 2026. I have embedded it below – just in case it disappears.

• a. This NASA Interim Directive (NID) implements regulations to conduct Reduction in Force (RIF), Transfer of Functions (TOF), and Furlough of more than 30 days in a manner that minimizes adverse impact on employees and limits disruption to critical Agency missions, programs, operations, and organizations, consistent with employees’ assignment and displacement rights.
• b. Management will proactively consider and evaluate the use of programs such as Voluntary Separation Incentive Program (VSIP), Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA), waiver of qualifications, and retraining programs and authorities under pre-RIF actions to minimize involuntary separations.
• c. Management is responsible for planning work and organizing the workforce to achieve agency objectives within available resources. This includes assessing whether there is a surplus of employees in specific roles or locations, determining the necessary positions, their locations, and when they should be filled, abolished, or vacated. Management will decide if a RIF is necessary, due to internal factors (e.g., reorganization) or external factors (e.g., lack of funding), and when it will occur.
• d. The need to apply RIF or TOF procedures does not suspend NASA authority and responsibility to take other legitimate employee actions.
• e. All decisions will be made in accordance with applicable laws and regulations and negotiated bargaining agreements.

Keith’s note: According to the latest Executive Order “Implementing The President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Workforce Optimization Initiative“:

• “Reductions in Force. Agency Heads shall promptly undertake preparations to initiate large-scale reductions in force (RIFs), consistent with applicable law, and to separate from Federal service temporary employees and reemployed annuitants working in areas that will likely be subject to the RIFs.“
• “The Plan shall require that each agency hire no more than one employee for every four employees that depart, consistent with the plan and any applicable exemptions and details provided for in the Plan. Each DOGE Team Lead shall provide the United States DOGE Service (USDS) Administrator with a monthly hiring report for the agency.“

Keith’s note: NASA PAO just provided this statement with regard to my post You Must Hide Your Pride At NASA (they waited 4 days to respond) which was cited in a press release from House Science Committee Democrats. To be clear: I stand by every single word in my post. Its real folks.

• NASA: “There are no new bans on any personal affects in employees’ workspaces. As always, the items must adhere to legal, safety, and NASA rules and guidelines. Some managers have been reminding employees to be mindful of what personal affects they have in their workspaces, but there are no penalties or warnings about being placed on administrative leave for displaying personal items.”

Keith’s note: The NASA SERVIR website is gone “SERVIR is a regional visualization and monitoring system for Central America and the Caribbean, developed by NASA in collaboration with a group of Universities and Research Centers, as well as the World Bank, regional organizations, etc. Access to the data produced by SERVIR is public and is intended to provide information related to decision-making in cases of climate or environmental changes.” Oh yes: SERVIR saved lives: Software Developed by SERVIR Interns Aids Nepal Earthquake Response