Keith’s note: According to White House looks to freeze more agency funds — and expand executive power in Politico: “OMB’s targets include NSF research and education programs that operate using funding leftover from 2024. Also on the list are … more than $100 million in science spending at NASA, which includes climate research.” Meanwhile, internal agency sources report that NASA is already implementing aspects of FY 2026 budget request – now – sometimes using FY 2025 dollars. And they are emboldened in so doing by various Executive Orders from the White House and loyalists on the 9th floor. NASA is acting as if FY 2026 request is the de facto operating plan going forth. Dozens of NASA mission teams are scrambling to complete shutdown plans to make it easier for NASA to start flipping the OFF switch on short notice. The plan is to implement all of the shutdowns etc. effective on 1 October 2025 i.e. as FY 2026 begins – regardless of what the actual status of a real FY 2026 Congressional budget is. By the time there’s a formal budget it will be too late to reverse most – if not all – of these layoffs, shutdowns, and cancellations. Of course, NASA also has RIF plans – but they use euphemisms to say that they don’t. Since not enough people are leaving, something has to give. And don’t count on Congress to come to the agency’s rescue. It’s going to be a long hot summer y’all, so Embrace THAT Challenge.

Keith’s note: This notice describes the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) plans to address criminally liable regulatory offenses under the recent executive order on Fighting Overcriminalization in Federal Regulations. [see 90 FR 28818 – Guidance on Referrals for Potential Criminal Enforcement]. (full text below)

Keith’s note: As noted last week there will be a protest outside of NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC from 7:00-11:00 am EDT on Monday, 30 June 2025. Information about the event can be found here. This event has obtained a formal permit from Metro DC Police. The event is endorsed by the Goddard Engineers, Scientists, and Technicians Association (GESTA). But NASA HQ management is not happy about this. This event is not endorsed by and does not represent the views of NASA or any employer doing business with NASA. But you would be wise to be aware of your surroundings and who may be watching you. The employee union is spreading in accurate information by mentioning the word “strike” – which this is not – and no one has ever said it was. Here is what the organizers, NASA employees union, NASA management, and the NASA HQ union says: (More below)

Keith’s note: According to this memo: “As directed by President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) 14303, “Restoring Gold Standard Science” (May 23, 2025), this memorandum provides guidance to Federal departments and agencies (agencies) on implementing Gold Standard Science in the conduct and management of all aspects of their scientific activities, from research design to public communication. By adopting these standards, agencies will strengthen scientific inquiry, rebuild public trust, and ensure the United States continues as the global leader in rigorous, evidence-based science. As directed by the EO, each agency shall report to me the actions they are taking to implement this Guidance within 60 days (by August 22, 2025). More details on the contents of this required report are outlined in Section 3 of this memorandum.” Full memo below.

Keith’s note: NASA is consolidating social media accounts (yes this was needed). The FY 2026 NASA Budget Request from the White House eliminates STEM funding, removes all public affairs staff at the field centers, cuts NASA HQ PAO staff, and reduces the overall communications and outreach budgets. And of course diversity, equity, and inclusion is now a forbidden concept. So where is the plan that NASA is following in order to do all of this? Is there a plan for this at NASA? Or does NASA just have a concept of a plan? One would assume that all of these dramatic changes to the public face of NASA are being done according to some overall guidance – yes? What follows are some random questions off the top of my head about the effective education and public outreach and engagement plan that the world’s pre-eminent space agency would need in order to continue to lead the way – and also expand that lead. Or maybe they don’t actually care to have a plan. Or know how. (More below)

Keith’s note: I just spoke with Deutsche Welle about the ongoing social media interaction between Elon Musk and Donald Trump about whatever. [Audio]

Keith’s note: I co-authored an opinion piece in the Houston Chronicle with Lisa Gray: “Make America Great in Space Again? Pfft. Trump is wrecking what we already have.“ — “When it comes to exploring the cosmos, the Trump administration’s quasi-official mantra is “Make America Great in Space Again.” But here’s the thing: NASA is already great. Right now.” More below.

Keith’s note: As the Administration seeks to gut funding of all government science agencies, they have issued another word salad executive order – one that could have been expressed in vastly simpler language. Indeed it calls for a process of conducting science in a transparent and reproducible fashion that has already been in place for nearly a century. Of course, this wordiness is a fig leaf for some specific political issues. e.g. “Actions taken by the prior Administration further politicized science, for example, by encouraging agencies to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion considerations into all aspects of science planning, execution, and communication.” And the response of this Administration is to simply politicize science even more.

Keith’s note: I just got this from USRA/LPI: “Dear Colleagues, We have heard from many of you and understand that there is significant concern among the planetary science community regarding the removal of DEI content from USRA/LPI websites. Please know that we did not make that decision lightly. We were doing our best to comply with our understanding of the Administration’s directives (specifically, Executive Order 14173) and the deadline it set for compliance.”

Keith’s note: NASA’s Planetary Science Analysis/Assessment Groups have issued a document dated 6 May 2025, titled “AGness”. According to the authors (which has been annotated to enhance clarity, original document below), addressing members of the planetary science community: “The linked document below, The Keys of AGness, is a product of the collective Planetary Analysis and Assessment Groups (AGs), presented by their Chairs and vetted through their respective Steering/Executive Committees, and with community feedback. It captures what the community sees as the key pillars and important role of the AGs in the advancement of planetary science now and as we move into the future. The intended audience is multifold and includes NASA leadership, who are in the process of re-imagining the AG structure and support mechanism, and the broader planetary science community as a general reference and reminder of the forums, community building, support, repositories, and voice that the AGs provide.”

Keith’s note: All the space policy ‘experts’ claim that the Administration has a firm “plan” for NASA. If indeed it exists, then the chaos at NASA – programs gutted, people unsure if they have a job, research halted for no reason, paranoid behavior by management, must all be part of that plan, right? Chaos is not a plan. It just pisses people off, wastes money, and reduces productivity. This is not the way to keep America Great In Space. Just sayin’

Keith’s Rant #1: I wonder … while these DOGE folks are busy scurrying around eliminating people and things at NASA – do they ever stop to look up at the night sky – you know, the place where NASA does all of that exploration stuff – the reason that it exists in the first place? Probably not an action item on their spreadsheet. (Again) just wondering.

Keith’s Rant #2: FYI Space fans. There are lots of people inside DC who function inside one little policy bubble or another. These bubbles are, by definition, partially sealed off from the real world. Sometimes you can see inside (a little) and sometimes you can peek out. But usually the bubbles are opaque, sound proof, and work like echo chambers. The more that people here in the DC space bubbles hint, or tease, or insinuate, or imply, or otherwise want you to think that maybe they have some sort of secret sauce, are in the know, or have undisclosed information, or secret plans, or things only they know – well, after 40 years watching these people in their bubbles I have 2 sayings for you to ponder. Pick one, Or both.

• 1. Those who speak do not know; those who know do not speak
• 2. The first rule of Fight Club is don’t talk about Fight Club.

Keith’s Rant #3: It is getting tiresome watching space fans sit in their sound proof rooms writing about space fantasies on social media and op eds in niche publications. These folks seem to be bereft of any understanding of what is going on in the real world – here in the U.S. or elsewhere – or care that budgets are being slashed. And no one can stop the cutting. They scramble to get random leftover scraps rather than push back. No reason is given for the cuts. The current meme right now is simply to cut. No strategic plan is in place to guide the cuts or show a path to be followed after the cuts have been made. This whole thing is a turbine that serves only to feed on its own exhaust. Unless a cogent plan is in place – one that is relevant to the 99.99% of the folks who actually pay for all the space stuff – this whole party will collapse in on itself (again) in 3.5 years.

Keith’s note: NSF has ended a long list of Internal advisory committees but is keeping FACA committees: According to an internal NSF memo: “What is the status of NSF’s advisory committees?”: “Consistent with the President’s February 19, 2025, executive order, Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy, the following federal advisory committees are disestablished as of April 15, 2025:” (long list below)

Keith’s 27 Feb update: Yesterday (Wednesday) OMB released this memo that outlines the guidance for the upcoming RIF and mass employee termination that lies ahead. I posted it on other platforms as soon as I could. News stories about it were all over the Internet. This is an official White House plan. It is the first concrete timeline that NASA employees have with which to plan their lives. Did NASA Headquarters bother to alert their staff about this or post it online? No. Keith’s 26 Feb note: According to Guidance on Agency RIF and Reorganization Plans Requested by Implementing The President’s “Department of Government Efficiency Workforce Optimization Initiative” issued from OPM on 26 Feb 2025:

• Each agency will submit a Phase 1 ARRPs to OMB and OPM for review and approval no later than March 13, 2025. Phase 1 ARRPs shall focus on initial agency cuts and reductions.
• Agencies should then submit a Phase 2 ARRP to OMB and OPM for review and approval no later than April 14, 2025. Phase 2 plans shall outline a positive vision for more productive, efficient agency operations going forward. Phase 2 plans should be planned for implementation by September 30, 2025.

More below.

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: 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: 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.”