Experts Needed To Confirm/Affirm NASA Goddard Expertise
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
The committee will provide a report with findings and recommendations to ensure long-term success of the GSFC and the NASA mission. Based on the Statement of Task, the National Academies are looking for expertise pertaining to NASA’s mission directorates, particularly in the following areas:
- development of advanced and emerging technologies
- testing and modeling
- systems development
- space missions
- space technology
- infrastructure and facilities
- human space exploration
- science and engineering workforce
The National Academies will use these suggestions to build a committee of approximately 10 volunteer experts as well as identify potential speakers and peer reviewers. We invite you to submit nominations by Friday, April 24, 2026.
7 responses to “Experts Needed To Confirm/Affirm NASA Goddard Expertise”
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Fishing expedition to justify cuts?
I don’t know about GSFC. I don’t know about now.
Seems like the right time to have examined qualifications, abilities, experience and track records would have been a year ago amid all of the deferred resignations at all of the centers. They could have selected the best to keep and the others to let go. Seems like budgets and schedules would be prime indicators.
In 50 years I saw a lot of people promoted based on personal friendships, or loyalty and not based on ability and past success. I saw a lot of people promoted into positions they then failed in. I saw very few capable NASA managers beginning in the 1990s and continuing to the present.
The task letter from NASA would be good to see-did this come from the 9th floor? SMD? Who is the task owner on the NASA side?
Good point. But I think Congress initiated it and then usually it comes out of whatever revolving charge account NASA has with the NAS but I could be wrong. Let’s see how long it takes and whether the results come out in time to affect decisions about GSFC or, as I suspect, after the damage has already been done.
Money mechanics aside, there will be a PoC at NASA that the findings go through, unless the task letter says something differently. In addition, the detailed goals, objectives and timeline would typically be in that letter.
Goddard folk deserve to know these details.
Both NASA Goddard GESTA IFPTE Local 29 and the Goddard Retirees and Alumni Association (GRAA) circulated the NASEM Call for Experts to their members. I was part of a few conversations to share our thoughts about who might be good candidates to recommend. There was a keen interest to participate.