—- 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: On Friday NASA distributed memo to the entire workforce titled “Workforce Directive: Restoring NASA’s Core Competencies“ accompanied with a video that was posted on social media. (full text below)

Keith’s note: A final rule by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) titled “Improving Performance, Accountability and Responsiveness in the Civil Service” (preview text) has dropped and will appear in the Federal Register tomorrow. Update: 91 FR 5580 – Improving Performance, Accountability and Responsiveness in the Civil Service is now formally posted in the Federal Register As implemented, it will lead to tens of thousands of nonpartisan career civil servants being moved to Schedule Policy/Career (Schedule P/C, a revived Schedule F) and being stripped of their civil service protections. The rule says that the President can fire anyone in the new Schedule P/C who disagrees with whatever the Administration says or does. Protect Democracy filed a suit a year ago and will be filing an amended complaint soon. [Earlier NASAWatch posts] Here’s the summary of what this all means according to OPM:

• “The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a rule to increase career employee accountability. Agency supervisors report great difficulty removing employees for poor performance or misconduct. The final rule authorizes agencies to move policy-influencing positions into Schedule Policy/Career. These positions will remain career jobs filled on a nonpartisan basis. Yet they will be at-will positions excepted from adverse action procedures or appeals. This will allow agencies to quickly remove employees from critical positions who engage in misconduct, perform poorly, or obstruct the democratic process by intentionally subverting Presidential directives. The rule requires agencies to establish internal policies protecting employees from prohibited personnel practices.”

Keith’s note: According to a press release: “Today, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee passed H.R. 7273, the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026, during a full committee markup. This important legislation, led by Chairman Brian Babin and Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren, strengthens America’s leadership in space by providing clear direction for NASA and supporting critical programs and initiatives that will keep our nation at the forefront of exploration and discovery well into the future.” More below

Keith’s note: With regard to the IAF Global Space Conference on Climate Change (GLOC 2026) in Kigali, Rwanda – don’t expect any NASA attendance.

1. “The U.S. Department of State has assessed Kigali (Rwanda) as being a HIGH-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.” — source
2. “The USGCRP met its statutory requirements by presenting its reports to Congress. NASA has no legal obligations to host http://globalchange.gov‘s data,” NASA Press Secretary Bethany Stevens said in an email. That means no data from the assessment or the government science office that coordinated the work will be on NASA, she said”. — source
3. The U.S. Government has formally isolated itself from international Climate Change efforts — Source

Keith’s note: Jared Isaacman @NASAAdmin Tweeted this summary of yesterday’s SLS Wet Dress test. “With the conclusion of the wet dress rehearsal today, we are moving off the February launch window and targeting March for the earliest possible launch of Artemis II. With more than three years between SLS launches, we fully anticipated encountering challenges. That is precisely why we conduct a wet dress rehearsal. These tests are designed to surface issues before flight and set up launch day with the highest probability of success.” Full text below.

“We’ve had a productive few days since I last checked in. Yesterday and today we worked on the eastern slopes adjacent to the Anuchin Glacier. We drilled a couple of holes in the lake – one to start a dive hole, the other to deploy a dissolved oxygen sensor that will track changes during freeze-up beneath the ice. But today marks another shift in the weather pattern.” More: Dale Andersen’s Astrobiology Antarctic Status Report: 1 February 2026: Drilling Diving Holes

Keith’s note (from 2003): “We were here to erect a memorial to Columbia astronaut Michael Anderson. These memorials take the form of an inukshuk, a stone sculpture in rough human form used by the Inuit to mark territory and as reference points for those who traverse this desolate place. As we establish these memorial inukshuks, we do so for the very same reason the Inuit do: to aid in future exploration – in this case, of Devon Island. Given the sheer mass of the structure, and the slow manner with which things change here, this inukshuk may well be standing 500 years from now. That should be long enough. Maybe someone serving on a starship will think to visit it.” Ad Astra More

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: NASA posted this interesting news on Friday: “Perseverance Rover Completes First AI-Planned Drive on Mars“. This is a standard press release thing without much thought as to how it could be enhanced and re-purposed synergistically. Don’t mention the astrobiology or astrogeology science either. Just write it and push it out – on a Friday afternoon. In fact it could be used to leverage things NASA wants to be known for outside of the JPL robotics bubble. Done properly, White House OSTP; the tech, science, and commerce sectors; and other trending initiatives could be leveraged so as to boost visibility of NASA’s participation. But NASA is still kinda shy about all of that self promotion. NASA could do a vastly better job promoting all of its cool tech. Indeed, as budgets shrink NASA needs to do a much better job explaining itself. The Moon mission glow will (sadly) fade all too soon. (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: the following was issued by Terik Daily, chair of the SBAG (Small Bodies Assessment Group): “Dear Colleagues, The draft findings from this month’s 34th Meeting of the Small Bodies Assessment Group are now available for community comment: Community feedback on the draft findings will be taken until Sunday, February 8. After that date, the findings will be finalized. Please send feedback on the draft findings to the SBAG Chair at terik.daly -at – jhuapl.edu.” (Full document below.)

Keith’s 29 Jan note: Time magazine revealed its cover dedicated to the Artemis II mission Thursday morning via a press release and tweeted it out at 8:03 am EST. That tweet has gotten over 1 million impressions. Lots of people noticed and retweeted it. But no mention has been made at @NASA. OSTP retweeted it at noon. No mention by OSTP director @mkratsios47 or @NASAAdmin or @NASAArtemis. But PAO staffers Bethany Stevens and George Alderman noticed and retweeted it – so it is not as if NASA PAO was unaware of this. And OSTP tweeted it as well and got ~2,000 impressions (i.e. no one pays much attention to OSTP). But why not use @NASA and its 88.5 million followers? Given that the President really really likes the whole idea of being on the cover of Time magazine, you’d think that this would be a big deal. NASA Is certainly not shy about pumping out its own pre-game PR for the mission. So why ignore this one – especially since it gives free ‘earned visibility’? Those of us old enough to remember Apollo 8 in 1968 will recall the impact it had on the world – the first trip to the Moon. Now we are going back over half a century – the first human Moon mission for 70% of humanity – and an echo of that history has been made. But NASA choses to ignore it. Yet another example of NASA’s baffling way of not making the most of its global branding reach. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

• Friday 30 Jan Update: at 7:28 am EST this morning Jared Isaacman tweeted about this historic resonance. “58 years after Apollo 8’s historic trip around the Moon, NASA is heading back. This time, our crew is going farther into space than any human in history. Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen will embark on a ten-day mission around the Moon, marking America’s grand return to the lunar environment. Artemis II marks the beginning of the boldest series of missions the world has ever seen. Through the Artemis campaign, we will maintain American superiority in space, land American astronauts on the Moon, and establish a lunar base all before the end of 2028. Godspeed Artemis II 🇺🇸”
• And so has ESA Director general Josef Aschbacher : “Artemis is not the story of one nation alone – Europe plays a central and indispensable role. This is the story of a shared vision and a shared commitment. The European Service Module, developed by @ESA and built by European industry with contributions from 10 ESA Member States, is the powerhouse of NASA’s Orion spacecraft. It provides propulsion, electrical power, water, oxygen, thermal control and the capability to manoeuvre through space – including the critical burns needed to set the astronauts on their journey to the Moon. Quite simply, Orion could not fly without Europe. Europe is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder – and on the shoulders of giants – with its international partners, led by the United States🇺🇸. Together, we are extending humankind’s presence beyond Earth and demonstrating that cooperation remains our most powerful engine for the future.”
• And ESA too: “We’re proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our international partners in Artemis. Our European Service Module is at the heart of NASA’s Orion spacecraft. Together, we’re extending humankind’s presence in space and demonstrating that multilateral and inclusive cooperation is vital for our future.”

Keith’s note: according to an obituary: “Debra (Debbie) had an illustrious career with NASA in Washington, DC. She started there in 1972 in the secretarial pool but quickly advanced due to her hard work and dedication. She received numerous recognitions and awards throughout her 34 years at NASA in International Affairs retiring in 2006. She had quite the career with trips all over the world, touring with astronauts and meeting heads of state, even royalty in several countries.” Ad Astra Debbie.

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 the ExMAG executive committee: “Dear Colleagues, The NASA Planetary Science Division (PSD) Director recently announced that the PSD will cease formal support for various Analyses and Assessment Groups (AGs) effective in May 2026.” Full email below.

Keith’s note: NASA JPL issued this release on Tuesday 27 January 2026: “NASA’s Juno Measures Thickness of Europa’s Ice Shell.” Juno is paving the way for a follow-on mission: Europa Clipper (and ESA’s JUICE mission too). Europa Clipper has a number of prime goals – one of which is to understand the potential habitability of Europa i.e. its ability to host life – which has been a core interest/goal of NASA’s Astrobiology Program for the past 30 years. You’d think that NASA would want to talk about their whole life-in-the-universe program since billions are being spent on it vis-a-vis Europa Clipper. Guess again. NASA ignores its Astrobiology Program. Here are three overt astrobiology memes mentioned in this release – no mention of “Astrobiology” however. Only NASA could deliberately limit access or mention to one of the most profound things that the agency does. When I ask SMD PAO about this they never respond. Never. NASA has a truly inept way of exercising its branding abilities. Once the excitement of Artemis II fades, NASA needs to keep the enthusiasm going by better presenting all of the other exciting things that it does in a way that is consistent across all of its public-facing resources – not stovepiped.

• “Slightly smaller than Earth’s moon, Europa is one of the solar system’s highest-priority science targets for investigating habitability. Evidence suggests that the ingredients for life may exist in the saltwater ocean that lies beneath its ice shell. Uncovering a variety of characteristics of the ice shell, including its thickness, provides crucial pieces of the puzzle for understanding the moon’s internal workings and the potential for the existence of a habitable environment.” (has a link to Europa Clipper Mission Science that never uses the word Astrobiology or points to the NASA Astrobiology program.
• “The thick shell, as suggested by the MWR data, implies a longer route that oxygen and nutrients would have to travel to connect Europa’s surface with its subsurface ocean. Understanding this process may be relevant to future studies of Europa’s habitability.”
• “The small size and shallow depth of these features, as modeled in this study, suggest they are unlikely to be a significant pathway for oxygen and nutrients to travel from Europa’s surface to its salty ocean.”
• 29 January 2026 Update: And NASA just did it again – an overtly astrobiology-oriented posting that makes zero mention of astrobiology: NASA’s Galileo Mission Points to Ammonia at Europa, Recent Study Shows: “… the first discovery of ammonia-bearing compounds on the surface of Jupiter’s moon Europa. Ammonia is a nitrogen-bearing molecule, and nitrogen — like carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen — is key to life as we know it. As the first such detection at Europa, the finding has important implications for the geology and potential habitability of this icy world and its vast subsurface ocean.” … “It also provides a tantalizing target for follow-up by the Europa Clipper mission”

Keith’s note: according to a NASA PAO tweet around 1:00 pm EST: “Today, a mechanical issue with one of NASA’s WB-57s resulted in a gear-up landing at Ellington Field. Response to the incident is ongoing, and all crew are safe at this time. As with any incident, a thorough investigation will be conducted by NASA into the cause. NASA will transparently update the public as we gather more information.” FYI NASA has three WB-57 high-altitude aircraft – one of them is supposed to provide imaging support for the Artemis II mission. No word yet as to whether this incident will affect the mission.

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: this short essay, “A Plea to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, from Planet Earth”, was posted on LinkedIn byJon Mikel Walton, Former Earth Public Engagement Lead, at NASA JPL: “Jared, I used to manage NASA’s Global Climate Change website. As we stand on the edge of humanity’s return to the Moon, I’m asking you to restore NASA’s full leadership on Earth science-and its right to speak plainly about the state of our planet. Nearly sixty years ago, Apollo 8 captured Earthrise: a thin crescent of home suspended in darkness. That single image helped ignite the modern environmental movement, and helped make possible missions like Landsat, which still provides the world’s longest continuous space-based record of Earth’s land surface. (more below)

Keith’s note: on 23 January 2026 the co-chairs of the Outer Planets Assessment Group (OPAG) sent this out to a wide distribution: Dear members of the OPAG community: “We are reaching out to you all in light of the announcement last week by NASA about AG funding and to offer reassurances about the future of the Outer Planets Assessment Group. OPAG is not disbanding.” (Full memo below)