—- 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)

Keith’s note: Like everyone else I am acutely aware of the arrest of two journalists – independent journalists – by the Department of Justice today. Details are still lacking. But the White House is applauding it. NASA Public Affairs leadership – all of whom are loyal political appointees – have already essentially blacklisted me. That used to be just an annoyance – one I am used to after 30 years. Well, not any more. So what can I (and others covering NASA) expect from the political appointees at PAO if I post something they do not like? What about people who provide me with information? I do not have an answer. I am not easily spooked. But my bullshit meter is now permanently redlined – and my inclination to set foot on any NASA facility or attend any NASA-sponsored event is now in question.

Keith’s note: Yea – far too much snark, frustration, and lecturing from Keith on Twitter today. My A.I. -free, human-generated top ten list:

1. People who lecture the govt about space commerce eventually want a hand out.
2. Big aerospace has lost its way and is bloated from cost-plus cash cows.
3. Like it or not layoffs and budget cuts are here to stay and are a wake up call that cannot be ignored by NASA & industry.
4. It’s easy – and lazy fun – to blame China for our sluggish space progress.
5. At some point @NASAAdmin is going to light a fire under absolutely everyone and you can either be motivated or get your butt toasted.
6. NASA does not have the right work force or collective skillset to retain its current leadership in space forever.
7. Few if any government or private sector entities have the vast global reach and brand awareness or soft power projection that NASA has – if only NASA took the time to understand how to use it.
8. After 70 years NASA still has no clear idea how to explain its contributions to taxpayers or what the cost/benefit/ROI of these things are in the grander scheme of things.
9. NASA has no strategic plan. They haven’t had anything close to such a strategy for over half a century – instead they rely upon slogans and talking points.
10. NASA has sent missions to touch the sun, sent humans to another world, visited every planet in our solar system while discovering thousands of planets in other star systems, looked back to the dawn of time, and now has spaceships traversing interstellar space. No other nation even comes close to such an astonishing track record. And many people feel that we have only begun to realize the benefits of this half century of American leadership.
11. Despite points 1-9, point 10 stands most inexplicably and – yet proudly – apart. Does NASA excel in spite of all the self-inflicted inefficiencies? Color me frustrated @rookisaacman Imagine what would be possible if we fixed these things. #AdAstra y’all.

Keith’s note; last week NASA decided to halt support for MD Planetary Science Division Analysis and Assessment Groups. The following email was shared widely by Benjamin Greenhagen, Ph.D Chair, Lunar Exploration Analysis Group LEAG Community: “It will be harder for us to sustain two-way communication between the community and NASA decision makers without meeting support and travel grants, but we will. LEAG will continue to organize events and invite NASA leadership” Full email below.

Keith’s note: here is an excerpt on space from Trump Administration Science & Technology Highlights: Year One, Office of Science and Technology Policy, pages 49-55 – (excerpt below).

Keith’s note: according to today’s Executive Order “The National Space Council is dead (again) per today’s Executive Order: “Sec. 4. Rescission. (a) This order supersedes Executive Order 14056 of December 1, 2021 (The National Space Council), which is hereby revoked.”

• (2021) – Executive Order 14056-The National Space Council
• (2017) – NASA Statement on National Space Council: “I am pleased that President Trump has signed an executive order reestablishing the National Space Council.”

Keith’s note: the White House just issued this Executive Order “Ensuring American Space Superiority”. Full text below.

Keith’s note: there will be a “Artemis Accords Five-Year Anniversary Celebration” here in Washington DC on Thursday, December 11th, 8:00 am – 10:30 am ET Hosted by the Meridian International Center at the Meridian House. I’ll be there but I will try and post a live webcast link in advance. Registration. —- Program below.

Keith’s note: A few weeks ago the existence of a “Project Athena” document prepared by NASA Administrator nominee Jared Isaacman and a few close advisors emerged. It had been written during his first nomination period as a shopping list, statement of purpose, first stab at a plan that he was working on for NASA. Then his nomination was pulled. Then it was reinstated. Now it will most likely stick. In the months between this report’s writing and today, much has happened that will nullify, modify, and/or accentuate most aspects of what was written. After its existence became known Isaacman wrote a summary of this summary to clarify a few things. But the actual document remained elusive until it started popping up on various social media accounts on Friday. I have excerpted two main features – the “Workforce Speech – Day 1 Speech”, and “Executive Summary”. You can download the PDF version of the full 62 page document that is circulating here on Google Drive or look at various Twitter and social media accounts for screen grabs and other links. BTW the cover says “Confidential/ Proprietary Information” – well that is moot now – but it was leaked from within a very very very small group of people at NASA who had copies. People leak things for their own purposes. This is a work in progress, subject to wholesale revision and even deletion, so caveat emptor, your mileage may vary, and ad astra y’all. Excerpts below.

Keith’s note: A press release from Representatives Chu, Bacon et al urges “Strong Final FY26 Appropriations for Space Science and Exploration.” Full text and letter below.

Keith’s note: this was posted on Twitter by Jared Isaacman @rookisaacman on 4 November 2025: “It is unfortunate that NASA’s team and the broader space community have to endured distractions like this. There are extraordinary opportunities and some risks ahead and so the focus should be on the mission. With many reporters and other interested parties reaching out, I want to help bring some clarity to the discussion… unfortunately, that means another long post”: [Full posted text below]

Keith’s note: There’s now a “Project Athena” to fix Artemis, Orion, and lots of Greek mythology things; a plan developed by someone; reimagined by someone else; leaked but never published; to thwart the original author’s chance of becoming NASA administrator. I’m waiting to hear what Kim Kardashian thinks about all of this. According to Politico: “The 62-page plan, obtained by POLITICO, proposes outsourcing some of NASA’s missions to the private sector and treating the government agency more like a business. The draft, known as “Project Athena,” not only showcases Isaacman’s radical vision for the space agency. It comes as he reemerges as a potential candidate for the position against acting NASA administrator Sean Duffy. The longtime space enthusiast gave the confidential manifesto to Duffy this summer, according to two people familiar with the plan, but never meant for it to go public. Isaacman and Duffy are now battling for control of the agency and President Donald Trump’s support.”

Keith’s note: the following report was issued today: “The Destruction of NASA’s Mission” Whistleblowers reveal OMB’s Unconstitutional Plot to Gut the Agency – U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Maria Cantwell, Ranking Member Full report . — Excerpt below.

Keith’s note: Yesterday OMB director Russell Vought and OSTP Director Michael Kratsios issued a memo titled “Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Administration Research and Development Budget Priorities and Cross-Cutting Actions“ to show what the Adminstration’s top five to-do tech things are. The shortest was “Number 5. Assure America’s Continued Space Dominance”. The words “science” and “education” appear nowhere in the space paragraph but “civilian and defense mission needs” appear in the first sentence. We also see the terms “Golden Age of American Innovation” and “Gold Standard Science” which, by virtue of being capitalized, represent the formal names of things that no one has actually defined. But wait: there is a quote at the top of the memo that says “We are going to conquer the vast frontiers of science, and we are going to lead humanity into space and plant the American flag on the planet Mars and even far beyond. And, through it all, we are going to rediscover the unstoppable power of the American spirit, and we are going to renew unlimited promise ofthe American dream. ” – President Donald J. Trump, 2025 Address to Joint Session of Congress”. So, you have your marching orders – and a shrinking budget and gutted workforce with which to carry them out.

Keith’s note: The Department of Defense War is now cracking down on journalists who wish to commit acts of actual journalism at DOD DOW. Since NASA’s role has now been formally redefined by Executive Order 14343 as having “a primary function intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative, or national security work” what can we expect in terms of how NASA PAO (Public Affairs Office) interacts with media? This may be a stretch – and it would certainly be a departure for NASA’s long-standing practice – but here is a possible preview: According to “Pentagon demands journalists pledge to not obtain unauthorized material” in the Washington Post: “The Trump administration unveiled a new crackdown Friday on journalists at the Pentagon, saying it will require them to pledge they won’t gather any information — even unclassified — that hasn’t been expressly authorized for release, and will revoke the press credentials of those who do not obey. Under the policy, the Pentagon may revoke press passes for anyone it deems a security threat. Possessing confidential or unauthorized information, under the new rules, would be grounds for a journalist’s press pass to be revoked.” Just sayin’.

Keith’s note: OK so I am ‘back’. Thanks for all the kind words, support etc. Let’s get down to business. The month of September is going to be the hardest yet for NASA. Multiple budget profiles will collide with one another – in an inelastic fashion. Missions will be on hold and operate in holding pattern mode. Other missions will simply die at the hands of budgeteers. And the people of NASA – regardless of where their paycheck comes from – will still be called upon to lead humanity’s exploration of space while being stressed from multiple directions. Meanwhile, the political people inside the glass doors on the 9th floor of NASA HQ simply don’t care what happens to the agency’s workforce – or keeping them informed. As if you had not already figured that out. That said, NASA is already ‘Great In Space”. No “Again” required. Despite the political rhetoric over the years, NASA has begun humanity’s expansion into interstellar space (see image). No one else has done that. And NASA’s lead will be rather hard to eclipse. Anyway – here is my top ten take on things to be aware of in September . Warning – it is not pretty – but it is also not without hope. [More below]

Keith’s note: Oh yes, In addition to erasing NASA’s Union rights, this Executive Order says that NASA is “hereby determined to have as a primary function intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative, or national security work. It is also hereby determined that Chapter 71 of title 5, United States Code, cannot be applied to these agencies and agency subdivisions in a manner consistent with national security requirements and considerations.” No mention of that science and exploration stuff.

Keith’s note: The White House has issued an Executive Order that strips the ability of NASA employees (and employees at other agencies) to organize unions.

• FYI Chapter 71 of Title 5 of the United States Code is known as the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Act. It establishes the rights and obligations for labor organizations and employees in the federal government, covering areas such as employee rights to organize, the duty to bargain in good faith, and procedures for addressing unfair labor practices and grievances.
• According to this new executive order: “Section 1. Determinations. The agencies and agency subdivisions set forth in section 2 of this order are hereby determined to have as a primary function intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative, or national security work. It is also hereby determined that Chapter 71 of title 5, United States Code, cannot be applied to these agencies and agency subdivisions in a manner consistent with national security requirements and considerations. …. 1-420. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration.”