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.”
Biologist, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA Space Biologist and Payload integrator, Editor of NASAWatch.com and Astrobiology.com, Lapsed climber, Explorer, Synaesthete, Former Challenger Center board member... More by Keith Cowing
Who can blame her? It seems that Isaacman believes that NASA’s sole purpose is to establish a base on the Moon and send humans to Mars. I mean what else can you assume when he makes comments like these:
““For NASA to assemble scientists and put out papers on politically charged issues, whether or not this is an impending climate catastrophe, is not helpful to the broader NASA mission,” Mr. Isaacman said in a March 9 interview with Science magazine.”
“For NASA to assemble scientists and put out papers on politically charged issues, whether or not this is an impending climate catastrophe, is not helpful to the broader NASA mission,” Mr. Isaacman said in a March 9 interview with Science magazine.
“You have a previous administration that puts out on NASA letterhead the world is going to end, and then you have the next administration put out on NASA letterhead that this is all a hoax,” said Mr. Isaacman, who holds a bachelor’s degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. “How is that useful to anyone right now?”
It’s sad, really really sad.
It’s sad, but I suppose I would rather they say nothing than “put out on NASA letterhead that this is all a hoax.”
Just look to HHS and RFK Jr. for an example of how much worse off NASA could be.
Exactly! If you’re not openly willing to back what is, at this point, proven science, then at least have the decency NOT to imply that there are two equally defensible sides to the the subject. As you say, better to say nothing.
But he went ahead and said it and I’m deeply, deeply disappointed and offended (but not particularly surprised). And, as we see from Dr. Marvel’s resignation, I’m sure there are many, many others. As I said, it’s really really sad.
Looks like they are cannibalizing one part of NASA to fund another, something Bridenstine avoided. Notable mention by Dr. Marvel of only one good planet in the Solar System. I wonder if Europe, Canadians were to team up for climate science agency, this can put them ahead in this field.