NASA’s Red Wedding – Preview Or Paranoia?

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.