Keith’s note: I just spoke with Deutsche Welle about today’s rollout of the Artemis II stack from the VAB to the launch pad. [Audio]

Keith’s note: the American Astronomical Society (AAS) issued a release Congress Passes Fiscal Year 2026 Spending Bills for NSF, NASA, and DOE – here is the NASA portion: “Take action today! Congress has largely rejected the severe cuts to science proposed in the President’s Budget Request. Take a few minutes today to thank your members of Congress for their support of the sciences, and urge them to continue to provide robust and sustained support in the future: https://aas.org/action-alert-thank-you-fy2026 On 15 January 2026, the US Senate passed a “minibus” of Fiscal Year 2026 spending bills, following its passage by the House of Representatives on 8 January. … Note that as of 15 January 2026, the bills have been sent to the President to sign into law, but we are awaiting that final signature.” More below

Keith’s note: this directive: “Workforce Directive: Recognize, Reward, Inspire” was sent out to all of NASA on 14 January 2026: “Achieving NASA’s world-changing mission requires the best from a talented, inspired, and mission-focused workforce.” [full memo below]

Keith’s note: this is an excerpted version of a statement by Sen. Van Hollen (D-MD) on the Senate Passage of Commerce, Justice, Science, & Related Agencies FY 2026 Appropriations Bill – Legislation includes provisions on FBI Headquarters, NASA Goddard, NOAA; rejects Trump Administration cuts to critical programs: Key Bill Points & Highlights: [Note NASA, NSF, NIST, NOAA excerpts] (more below)

Keith’s note: According to a press release “U.S. Science Leadership Survives Existential Threat From Trump Budget as Cantwell Rallies Colleagues to Reject Gutting NASA, NSF, & NIST“ from Senator Maria Cantwell: “America’s leading science agencies have survived an existential threat thanks to bipartisan rejection of massive budget cuts proposed by the Trump Administration, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and senior member of the Finance Committee, announced today.” (Full text below)

Keith’s note: The Explorers Club has issued its annual ECAD award. Among them is the enormously cool Sylvia A. Earle Award For Exploration Excellence which is going to the NASA SPHEREx Mission Team: “Jamie Bock, Principal Investigator Olivier Doré, Project Scientist John Wisniewski, Program Scientist – This NASA space mission team is recognized for its outstanding contributions to astrophysical exploration and for advancing our understanding of the cosmos through groundbreaking instrumentation and survey design — completing the first infrared map of the entire sky in 102 colors. Formerly our Citation of Merit, freshly re-named in honor of the 1996 Explorers Club Medalist and living legend, Dr. Sylvia A. Earle.”

Keith’s Note: Live from Antarctica: Why the Ice Matters Join Miles O’Brien on Thursday 15 Jan at 12:00 PM EST for a real-time conversation from the bottom of the world—about science, exploration, and why Antarctica matters to all of us. Link https://youtu.be/LIdharrlzbM

Keith’s note: According to this White House release a bunch of renominations of people who did not get their confirmation process completed before the end of 2025 have been re-nominated – including “Matthew Anderson, of Colorado, to be Deputy Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration”. So – welcome back Matt.

Keith’s note: according to NASA: “NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission safely splashed down early Thursday morning in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, concluding a more than five-month mission aboard the International Space Station.”

Keiths note: I was on Deutsche Welle TV tonight talking about the crew 11 return in a few hours. [Audio] [Video] 15 Jan update: I just recorded another, post-splashdown interview with DW which should air this evening.

Keith’s note: Astrobiologist Dale Andersen and his research team are settling in at their base camp on the shore of Lake Untersee, Antarctica. How they go about this expedition is a preview of how we’ll be doing science on the Moon, Mars – and beyond. More: Dale Andersen’s Astrobiology Antarctic Status Report: 14 January 2026: Setting Up Base Camp At lake Untersee

Keith’s note: I was on CNN This morning talking about the return of crew 11 and NASA’s new Administrator. [Audio]