Keith’s note: The Federal Government recently issued “Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance” which, if implemented, would gut the way that American science has been evaluated and conducted for the better part of a century. At a time when the avowed stance of the Administration to pursue “Gold Standard Science“ and assert global leadership in science and technology this regulation would infect it with politics, fatally hamper its ability to thrive, and turn it into lead instead of gold. Below is commentary by planetary scientist Mark Sykes (who is also a lawyer). Full text below:

Keith’s note: According to this SETI Institute discussion of the Updated Rules for Evaluating and Revealing the Detection of Extraterrestrial Intelligence “The International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) has ratified updated protocols governing how scientists evaluate, verify, and announce evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence.

• Why it matters: The guidelines are the first major revision in more than 15 years and address today’s realities of social media, AI-generated misinformation, deepfakes, and 24-hour news cycles.
• Key change: Any potential detection must undergo rigorous independent verification before a public announcement is made.
• Expanded scope: The protocols now reflect modern SETI research, including searches for technosignatures across the electromagnetic spectrum and other emerging detection methods.
  Researcher protections: New provisions acknowledge risks such as online harassment, doxxing, misinformation campaigns, and intense media scrutiny.
• No Reply policy remains: The protocols reaffirm that no response should be sent to an extraterrestrial intelligence without broad international consultation, including through the United Nations.“
• More

Keith’s note: according to “White House is ordering agencies to place its new app on all employees’ government phones” on Government Executive: “The White House recently unveiled a new app to give the public “unfiltered” access to “key priorities,” “historic moments” and “policy breakthroughs.” Now, it’s directing agencies to help install it on the government phones of federal employees.” FYI NASA employees: Here’s a link to the app that will soon appear on your government-issued phones. I wonder if NASA PAO items will be posted there. It is rated as useful for people ages 4+. What could possibly go wrong.

Keith’s note: NASA Just issued this: “NASA announced Friday an agencywide realignment to increase mission focus and move out on the National Space Policy. These changes position the agency to better deliver on the nation’s highest‑priority objectives with speed and efficiency.” Full (rather lengthy and specific) announcement below

Keith’s note: According to this news story the NASA Advisory Council is being disassembled. No mention has been made by NASA if it will continue to exist/function, who will be on it, and what it will/will not do: “NASA officials provided a statement to El Paso Matters that appears to be the agency’s first public comment on its plans for the NASA Advisory Committee. Committee members are not paid for their service.“The NASA Advisory Council is a discretionary committee that reports directly to the NASA administrator. The NAC has an active charter in place through September 2027. The composition of the NAC and the topics it addresses are within the authority and discretion of the administrator. Future membership is under discussion,” the statement said.” Earlier NASA Advisory Council posts.

Keith’s note: there are some blatant truths in this piece “Are we pilots or are we passengers?“ by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher. The same growing distrust in Europe with regard to the U.S. and NATO is now expanding into NASA/ESA relations. It’s our own fault folks. This is no way to treat our friends. We can fix this. Just sayin’.

• “Recent changes to the Artemis architecture by the United States signal a rapidly shifting landscape in human space exploration. Decisions to pause Gateway and cancel Mars Sample Return disrupt Europe’s lunar exploration plans, underscoring a broader reality: Europe has become too exposed to decisions beyond its control.“
• “Europe must decide whether it prefers to be dependent on others to send its explorers into space or to assume its role as a fully capable space power. As the head of the European Space Agency (ESA), I am convinced that autonomous human spaceflight is not a luxury. It is a necessary anchor for Europe to secure its freedom to unlock the scientific, economic, strategic and geopolitical benefits of space and to inspire a new generation to shape Europe’s future.”

Keith’s note: According to the Washington Post: “Members of the independent board that guides the National Science Foundation said they received a notice from the White House that their positions were being terminated. Multiple scientists who serve on an independent board established to guide the nation’s nearly $9 billion basic science funding agency were terminated from their positions Friday by President Donald Trump.” According to House Science Committee Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren: “This is the latest stupid move made by a president who continues to harm science and American innovation,” said Ranking Member Lofgren. “The NSB is apolitical. It advises the president on the future of NSF. It unfortunately is no surprise a president who has attacked NSF from day one would seek to destroy the board that helps guide the Foundation.”

Keith’s note: there’s a looming predecisional effort within NASA with a high rumor quotient that’s attracted an unfortunate internal gossip label: “Red Wedding” (yes GOT fans) It involves wholesale management changes at all NASA centers: top leadership, layoffs, reorganizations, etc. A realignment at the agency to match Jared Isaacmans’s implementation of current Administration policies has been expected. He tends to announce things fully formed – clearly stated (not half-baked) and keeps much of the detail close to his chest until its time to release things. Given all the things he has already announced (Project Athena, Core Competencies, Ignition, NASA Force) and his support for the FY 2027 Presidential Budget request, you have to expect that a lot of things need to be readjusted. That said, after all the turmoil NASA has been through 16 months and the deplorable way that many employees were treated prior to Isaacman’s arrival, its easy to understand how people are on edge – and that they expect more of the bad and less of the good. I am only posting this since I have been hearing the “Red Wedding” thing non-stop for weeks at all levels and multiple locations across the agency. Let’s not forget: Artemis II gave everyone a much-needed boost. So it is possible to see the light at the end of the tunnel amidst the chaos. We’ll see soon enough.

Keith’s note: Former NASA astronauts Garrett Reisman and Steve Lindsay from
Astronauts for America were on CNN this evening talking about growing partisanship, protecting constitutional democracy, and the need for a strong space program. According to Reisman: “We want America to lead in scientific endeavors and if you don’t fund that – its not going to happen”. Former NASA administrator/astronaut Charles Bolden and astronaut Wendy Lawrence were on the NBC TODAY show earlier in the day. Info: astronautsforamerica.org

Washington, D.C. – Today, a group of 103 former NASA Astronauts launched Astronauts For America, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to upholding constitutional values; restoring public trust in American democracy; and supporting leaders who respect science, use data to make decisions, and work across political differences for the good of the American people. As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, the former NASA Astronauts are reaffirming the oath they each took to support and defend the U.S. Constitution. More below

Keith’s note: The following note was sent to NASA employees by Jared Isaacman today: his take home quote: “I encourage the workforce to leave the politics for the politicians and remain focused on the mission.“ Full text below.

Keith’s note: Last night NASA and White House cheered the TLI burn to send Artemis II to the Moon. Less than 12 hrs later – on Good Friday (and Passover) when people aren’t at work – OMB drops a massive punitive cut to NASA. What a nice way to say “well done NASA“. I can’t wait to see how NASA PAO spins this one.

Keith’s note: NASA HQ is further adjusting its NASA Advisory Committee by removing some current of its members. This note from NASA Administrator is being sent out to some NAC members.

Keith’s note: Dr. Kate Marvel at NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (gutted by NASA and DOGE) has left the agency. According to E&E News “Kate Marvel announced Tuesday that she’d quit her job at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies due to ongoing uncertainties about science funding and the ability to conduct climate research under the Trump administration.” On BlueSky she noted: “I just resigned from NASA. It breaks my heart to leave, but I’ve become convinced the best path forward is to do the best science I can, and that can’t be here anymore. I’m still in love with the promise of those four magic letters. Ad astra per aspera, and remember: Earth is the only good planet.”

Keith’s note: Yesterday I taped a long form 16 minute interview with David Levitz at Deutsche Welle about NASA’s big Moon plan changes. Yes, I am excited – and after waiting 50 years for this, I am a little impatient too. Let’s go back to the Moon – to stay. Video

Keith’s note: according to this press release: “NASA will host a public event at 9 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, March 24, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters in Washington to outline how the agency is executing President Donald J. Trump’s National Space Policy and accelerating preparations for America’s return to the surface of the Moon by 2028. The program will open with remarks from NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, followed by a series of high-level panels providing updates on mission priorities, including sending the first astronauts to the lunar surface in more than 50 years, establishing the initial elements of a permanent lunar base, getting America underway in space on nuclear propulsion, and other objectives.” With a line-up like this and follow-on presser something will be announced. Science missions are still in limbo, workforce issues continue, but we’ll be seeing monthly lunar landings starting in 2027, and what to do about Gateway? Oh yes: How is NASA going to win the “second space race” and “make NASA great in space again”? etc. Ad Astra y’all.

Keith’s note: ASAP issued its 2025 Full report. There is not much new in this report that the ASAP et al have not said every year for decades. But this time the first recommendation strikes at the heart of why NASA often seems to be reactive and make things up one day at a time – with actions that are often inconsistent and contradictory: “Recommendation 2021-05-01: NASA should develop a strategic vision for the future of space exploration and operations that encompasses at least the next 20 years, including potential alternative scenarios, that is driven by how the Agency is going to understand and manage risk in the more complex environment in which it will be operating.

• The vision should describe the role that NASA intends to play during that period and how it plans to engage with both commercial and international partners.
• NASA should assess the workforce, including the number, types, skills, experience, and responsibilities that will be required, and the infrastructure facility requirements, with a plan for managing changes needed to meet those requirements.
• NASA should also propose general criteria for evaluating “make, manage, or buy” decisions on future programs or projects.
• All aspects of the strategic vision and its implementation should be clearly and unambiguously communicated throughout the Agency.”

—- Keith’s note: I have annotated Jared Isaacman’s new directive “Workforce Directive: Restoring NASA’s Core Competencies“ with some of my thoughts. This directive does bear a certain similarity to a posting “Recognize, Reward, Inspire” that he made on 16 January 2026 – and the earlier Project Athena document he produced in 2025 before becoming administrator and benefited from some sanity checks during his first month on the job and his road trip to all the NASA centers. This is a somewhat stream of consciousness ramble on my part (as is usually the case on NASAWatch – and I may fiddle with it). Before I start, there are some prevailing, over-arching, and hard-to-avoid factors: (more below)

Keith’s note: The following was sent out today by the chairs of NASA’s NASA Planetary Science Analysis/Assessment Groups: “The recent decision by NASA’s Planetary Science Division to cease financial support for planetary science Analysis/Assessment Groups (AGs), effective the end of April 2026, is deeply disappointing. That support enabled, among other things, day-to-day leadership of the AGs, in-person meetings of the science community (including NASA officials), and websites for the dissemination of information and reports to the science community and the public.” (more below)