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: the other day the Planetary Society just had their SaveNASAScience thing on Capitol Hill. Lotsof space advocates and actual space scientists walked the halls of Congress. Good on ya. More people should do this and not just on one certain day. Alas, neither the Planetary Society nor any of its participating organizations sent out media advisories. Tick tock. Yesterday there was a hearing with Jared Isaacman about NASA’s 2027 Presidential Budget Request. Among the most significant aspects of the budget is the second attempt in as many years by OMB and the White House to gut NASA science – of all kinds. Yet no mention was made – or coverage offered – by the Planetary Society or these groups (that I can find – please correct me on this). One day sugar-high events like the SaveNASAScience thing fade fast. 24 hours and *poof*. Yet it is important for organizations like The Planetary Society and individuals to be interacting with the day-to-day efforts, down in the weeds, where the rubber hits the road and actual budgets are crunched by those who would halt their damaging effects. This is a marathon, not a one day sprint for photo ops.

Keith’s note: there was a Review of the President’s Budget Request for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for Fiscal Year 2027 today. There was one witness: NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. I live tweeted the hearing at @NASAWatch. Hearing charter and video below. Opening statements:

• Jared Isaacman
• Brian Babin
• Zoe Lofgren

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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: a letter was been sent by 4 Senators on 13 April 2026 letter to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies of the Senate Committee on Appropriations regarding NASA’s FY 2027 Science budget – specifically the Mars Sample Return mission. Full letter below

Keith’s note: House Science, Space, and Technology Committee will be holding a hearing on Wednesday, 22 April: “A Review of the President’s Budget Request for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for Fiscal Year 2027” Update: according to Marcia Smith at @SpcPlcyOnline “House Appropriations CJS subcommittee will hold a hearing on NASA’s FY2027 budget request next Monday, Apr 27, 3:30 pm ET. The subcommittee will mark up the CJS bill on Thursday, Apr 30, at 8:00 am ET. Full cmte CJS markup is scheduled for May 13 at 11:00 am ET.” More below.

Keith’s Update: Hey NASA Goddard GESTA IFPTE Local 29 – You have said nothing about this. You should be beating the bushes to find supportive input for this. If you won’t stand up for yourselves then why expect others to do so? You have 4 days left to provide/promote input. Keith’s earlier note: According to the National Academies: “The National Academies are seeking suggestions for experts to participate in a new Congressionally mandated consensus study tasked with conducting a high-level assessment of current technical and scientific capabilities housed at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), what capabilities are positioned to ensure long-term success of the NASA mission—including for future cutting-edge scientific discovery and crewed space exploration—and what facilities are needed to house and operate those capabilities.” More below

Keith’s note: according to a new NASA OIG report “NASA’s Acquisition of Next-Generation Spacesuit Services“: “NASA faces challenges in ensuring next-generation spacesuits are available to meet the Agency’s current schedules for the Artemis lunar landing mission in 2028 and prior to the ISS’s decommissioning in 2030. NASA’s original schedules to demonstrate the lunar and microgravity spacesuits in 2025 and 2026, respectively, were overly optimistic and ultimately proved unachievable, as evidenced by delays of at least a year and a half for both spacesuits. Based on our analysis, if Axiom experiences design and testing delays in line with the historical average for recent space flight programs, the Artemis and ISS demonstrations may not occur until 2031.” …“if Axiom cannot satisfy its contractual requirements in a timely or cost-effective manner, then NASA could be forced to continue using the problematic EMUs throughout the life of the ISS and significantly adjust its lunar plans.” Keith’s Update: @NASAAdmin Jared Isaacman just posted this response to @NASAOIG: “Very much appreciate the OIG work. As I posted months ago, NASA is not taking a passive role in any component of America’s return to the lunar surface and building a Moon base. We are reviewing where NASA can do better, how we can provide relief where appropriate to burdensome requirements, where we can expand capabilities over time (Apollo 11’s EVA profile was very different than Apollo 17), and where we can help industry by inserting NASA SMEs and driving the intended outcomes. I am confident that when NASA is ready to land on the Moon in 2028, our astronauts will be wearing Axiom suits. There will always be lessons learned as we improve across NASA and industry, and we need to be mindful of the contracting approach to stimulate a market versus jumping to an as-a-service model where NASA may be the only customer for the foreseeable future. That places a significant capital burden on providers while they wait for additional demand to materialize. A successful approach for commercial crew and cargo, underpinned by launch, does not mean it is applicable to every space-related service. The orbital and lunar economy is inevitable. We just need to be thoughtful in our approach to sustainably enable it.”

Keith’s Note: Last week we all had a moment to savor just how extraordinary the Artemis II mission was – not only for its technological prowess- but more importantly the sense of pride, wonder, and inspiration it generated here and across the world. So, how do we reward the team who did this? We – gut their budget – for the second year in a row -of course. Congratulations! A preview from the LA Times: A renewed threat to JPL as the Trump administration tries again to cut NASA.

Keith’s note: According to a release “Science Committee Democratic Staff Report Reveals Details on NASA’s Illegal Implementation of Trump’s FY2026 Budget Request Without Congressional Approval” – “A Presidential budget request means nothing until Congress acts on it,” said Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren. “And in 2025, NASA implemented Trump’s budget proposal illegally, without any approval from Congress. The agency violated the basic separation-of-powers framework set forth in the Constitution. NASA’s actions derailed critical projects, demoralized its employees, and broke its trust with the scientific community and the private sector. NASA repeatedly denied what it was doing, but the facts prove otherwise. This staff report provides an overview of the evidence my team has gathered and highlights the damage NASA inflicted upon itself by yielding to pressure from OMB instead of following the law.” More below

Keith’s note: A media question asked the crew about the removal of the initial “First woman and first person of color” aspirational tag line for Artemis from all NASA websites and materials (by the Trump Administration’s anti-DEI purge.) The answer in a nutshell was that this initial decision had been made a while back such that it will still happen – no matter what – even if it takes a little longer to come to pass. I just Googled and found one remaining example. Let’s see if the anti-DEI squad at NASA PAO deletes it. Or, since it came to pass, if they’d just let it be.

Keith’s note: I was just on BBC World with Astronaut Cady Coleman. We were both asked for a final favorite impression of Artemis II. I said “the crew’s loss for words”. That resonated with me. At one point at Everest Scott Parazynski and I were practicing photo stances for his summit activities with 4 small Apollo 11 moon rocks that Scott eventually took to the summit. I held up the rocks and eclipsed the Moon – with pieces of the Moon – at the foot of Mt. Everest. No one else other than the two of us have ever done that. How do you express that instant of cosmic Zen? I have tried and it’s still incomplete. All these years later I think of that trip every day and feel a responsibility – when I can – to explain the adventure of exploration whenever I can – as incomplete as my words will always be – hopefully so as to inspire others to take up the challenge to explore and convey the value of exploration to an ever-widening audience.

Keith’s note: The President was on Fox the other day and was talking about NASA and said this in response to the ArtemisII mission … “I’m the one that started that program. NASA was closed. It was totally closed. There was grass growing on the runways. I went there. I was there in Florida. Got pictures of all of their facilities. They had grass growing out of their cracked asphalt in Florida and elsewhere. And you know I said this is terrible – let’s start it up. So we started it up and it gave great pride – everybody watched that the other day.” Bullshit. He did not start NASA’s program to return to the Moon. NASA was not “closed”. And for the past two fiscal years in a row he has put forth a budget request that would cripple large parts of NASA. But NASA’s Press Secretary Bethany Stevens @NASASpox and AA for Communications Will Boyington @Will_Bo simply amplified it on their Twitter accounts – with no comments i.e. tacit approval. And @NASAAdmin approved of it as well. There is a hearing on NASA’s FY 2027 budget next week which might be interesting. Or not.

Keith’s note: The Artemis II astronauts (and their mascot “rise”) will hold a news conference at 2:30 pm EDT today Thursday to discuss their mission around the Moon. Apparently they had no fun whatsoever. You can watch on NASA’s YouTube channel or watch other options. I will be live on BBC World News at between 2:30 – 3:30 PM EDT to provide live commentary on their comments.

Keith’s note: According to the NASA Force page: “NASA Force is a new hiring initiative—developed in partnership with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management … Highly skilled early- to mid- career engineers, technologists, and innovators join NASA for focused term appointments, typically 1–2 years with the possibility of extension … The first opportunity opens on April 17 and closes April 21.” More

Keith’s note: According to “NASA Is the Most Underrated Brand“ by Mia Silverio: “On Friday, four astronauts returned to Earth after venturing deeper into space than anyone has gone before. The mission, Artemis II, sent a rocket weighing 5.7 million pounds around the moon and back, setting the stage for a future lunar landing. This incredible feat is a timely reminder that American excellence still exists — if only under the NASA logo.” Totally agree – and as NASAWatch readers have certainly noticed by now I have more than a few things to say about NASA’s immense – yet totally under-utilized – reach, branding, and soft power.

Keith’s note: According to a memo from OSTP: “President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) 14369, “Ensuring American Space Superiority” (December 18, 2025), established the bold and ambitious goal of enabling near-term use of space nuclear power by deploying nuclear reactors on the Moon and in orbit, including a lunar surface reactor ready for launch by 2030. As directed in the EO, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) will coordinate implementation of these goals through the National Initiative for American Space Nuclear Power (Initiative). This memorandum provides guidance to Federal departments and agencies (agencies) on achieving the President’s priority for space nuclear power through this Initiative.” Full memo.

Keith’s note: An enlargement of this image from the splashdown of Artemis II is all over space Twitter. There is a bright colored region on the heat shield. Armchair experts and space influencers all have an opinion. That’s all they have – from one blurry pic. Jared Isaacman @NASAAdmin said this in response. When he has an answer he’ll tell us. So chill and focus on some #MoonJoy. More below