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: 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: In case you missed it the White House recently went in – big time – on global AI leadership – here’s the plan at ai.gov. One would assume that NASA was paying attention. They did to some extent. NASA SMD just issued C.12 Foundational Artificial Intelligence for the Moon and Mars (FAIMM) stating that it is “Amended January 13, 2026: This amendment presents this new program element in ROSES-2025.” One of the prime reasons to explore Mars in the first place for the past six decades with robotics and humans has been the search for life – past or present. The NASA program for this is called “Astrobiology”. Yet no mention of the words “astrobiology” or “exobiology” or “life” or “biology” is made in c.12. There is no mention on the new NASA Astrobiology site either. Why is that? More below.

Keith’s note: Today’s overland traverse from Ultima air strip, southward, to Lake Untersee, was done by snowmobiles pulling sledges packed with gear and supplies. Dale has been doing research in the region around Lake Untersee for many years. As such they have worked out a standard path around terrain that they follow more or less – with weather altering the course slightly from one trip to another. Update: Dale Andersen and his team are now at Lake Untersee, at S 71.260082° E 13.506017° elevation of 2,645 ft. More: Dale Andersen’s Astrobiology Antarctic Status Report: 11 January 2026: Overland Traverse To Lake Untersee

“One real improvement this season is that we now have a dedicated place to stage everything at the Ultima airbase: a new WeatherPort hut (about 30 × 30 × 13 ft). For the first time we will be able to keep all of our gear in one spot, including the snowmobiles and the ATV, instead of chasing equipment across multiple caches. Just as important, it gives us a sheltered workspace when we need to lay things out, troubleshoot, or do maintenance without fighting the wind and drifting snow.” More: Dale Andersen’s Astrobiology Antarctic Status Report: 9 January 2026: Building Our New Storage Facility

Keith’s note: according to a press release “Planetary Science Caucus Co-Chairs Statement on House Passage of FY26 Full-Year Funding for Space, Science, and Exploration”: “the U.S. House of Representatives voted 397-28 to pass H.R. 6938, the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026. Rep Judy Chu (CA-28) and Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02), who both co-Chair the bipartisan Congressional Planetary Science Caucus, released the following joint statement: (more below)

“Hi Keith, We arrived 6pm UTC Tuesday evening to a bright, sunny windless day with air temps just over freezing. Our flight down was nice and he aircraft should return to CPT later this morning or afternoon. Sorry I think my last couple of notes did not make it to you, it will take a couple of days to get our comms sorted out as we get organized. If all goes well we hope to start the traverse to Untersee perhaps over the weekend. As you can imagine our priority now is to get the snowmobiles up and running and to get our cargo sorted and organized, So, a busy couple of days. I hope the weather continues to be nice!” More: Dale Andersen’s Astrobiology Antarctic Status Report: 7 January 2026: Arrival At Novolazarevskaya Station, Antarctica

Keith’s note: NASA issued a release today about Habitable Worlds Observatory tech development contracts. Once again, I am baffled why news involving the search for habitable worlds – a core astrobiology thing – doesn’t use the word “astrobiology” in the release or web pages about Habitable Worlds Observatory listed in the release. So I added them to what I am posting. It is cool to get Jared Isaacman quoted – in his own words. The more engaged the Administrator is in these things the better he can support them – and explain them to Congress and the White House. Searching for life elsewhere in the universe is one of the most profound things NASA does – shoulder to shoulder with searching for the origin of the universe itself and making humans a space faring species. NASA needs to develop a better style guide and outreach plan (actually it has never had an outreach plan) so as to better explain this cross-disciplinary activities to the public as well as policy makers. If NASA wants to retain/expand its leadership in space it needs to start telling a more compelling, cohesive, and strategically-enabled story. And oh yes – a story that touches and involves everyone, everywhere. Just sayin’.

Keith’s note: NASA has just authored a paper on a new way for people with a wide variety of interests to use – and build – sensor technology that is a preview of the devices we will use to explore other planets. How will we develop these instruments – sensors, tricorders, scanners, smartphones – call them what you will is now underway at NASA. There is a vibrant citizen science / open science / DIY / “hacker” community in America and around the world that seeks to make interesting things out of ordinary materials. Cellphones outperform what we would have called a “super computer” just a generation ago – and they are in everyone’s pocket. Electronic parts can be bought online and how-to instructions are openly available online – globally. Full story

Keith’s note: according to a press release from the National Academies of Science “A new report “A Science Strategy for the Human Exploration of Mars“ from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine identifies the highest priority science objectives for the first human mission to Mars, and says searching for evidence of existing or past life on Mars should be the top priority. Improving our understanding of the effects of Mars’ environment on humans, plants, and animals; water cycles; geologic records; and dust storms are also among the 11 science priorities named in the report.” There will be a media event today from 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (ET). Watch live.

Keith’s note: Sami Aziz, an Emmy-Winning Creative Leader and Head of Live at NASA posted this on LinkedIn: “Tonight, we did it again. Our “2024 Total Solar Eclipse: Through the Eyes of NASA” broadcast has already been honored with the News and Documentary Emmy for Outstanding Live News Special. And tonight, at the 76th Technology and Engineering Emmy Awards, we won again for Excellence in Production Technology Application. This Emmy recognizes the engineering achievement required to tell the story of the eclipse across 3,000 miles of North America, from Mazatlán, Mexico to Houlton, Maine. It honors the innovation, discipline, and determination that our broadcast engineering teams brought to the most complex broadcast in NASA’s history. We set out to tell the story of totality in a way the world had never seen. The creative led the way for a multi-site, IP-based broadcast of unprecedented scale. The creative fueled the decisions, the engineering, the risk-taking, and the countless hours it took to bring thi vision to life.I am so proud of this team, our engineers, and every unsung hero behind the camera and behind the cables. Thank you for pouring your heart, your brilliance, and your belief into this mission.” Below is a picture of how they literally wired everything together across NASA that got Walt Lindblom and Sami Aziz the Excellence in Production Technology Application Emmy.

/m

Keith’s note: A preprint was posted on Wednesday 3 Dec 2025 titled “Voyager 1 Data Reveals Signatures of the Local Gas and Cosmic-Ray Source Distributions“ which refers to “recent Voyager 1 data taken in the local ISM” and that “this work is partially funded via NASA grants 80NSSC22K0477, 80NSSC22K0718, and 80NSSC23K0169.” A NASA (American) mission is sending back data that from interstellar space. No other nation has a growing fleet of interstellar missions. Talk about taking the lead in space exploration. Yes, this is nerdy stuff – but it is still baffling to me that the agency simply cannot back up the whole “Make America Great In Space (again)” mantra with actual, no kidding, examples of pre-eminence in space. Data summary below.

Keith’s note: A press release from Representatives Chu, Bacon et al urges “Strong Final FY26 Appropriations for Space Science and Exploration.” Full text and letter below.

Keith’s note: The White House, Department of Energy, and OSTP just launched a big flashy national AI thing called “Genesis Mission”. The Executive Order says “This order launches the “Genesis Mission” as a dedicated, coordinated national effort to unleash a new age of AI‑accelerated innovation and discovery that can solve the most challenging problems of this century.” Alas, there is no mention of NASA in the Genesis fact sheet and the press release mentions NSF, NISH, and NIH – but not NASA. There is no mention either of NASA things like space, astronomy, or aviation. NASA is trying to understand the scope and origin of the universe, search for life on other worlds, and build spaceships unlike any ever built before – and it is employing advanced computing and AI in all of this. But NASA apparently does not pass muster when it comes to inclusion in the White House/OSTP Genesis Mission.

Keith’s note: Update on the next Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC) sponsored by USRA’s LPI.

• If you go to the LPSC abstract submission page, the top Abstract Submission Criteria listed says “All submitted abstracts must comply with Administration Executive Orders. Any non-compliant abstracts will be removed from consideration for the conference program.”
• The words “Administration Executive Orders“ links to a page regarding DEI which says “NASA headquarters advised LPI and the AGs in late January that all AG activities were to be paused to give the agency time to review them to ensure that they complied with “presidential actions.” Among those presidential actions are various Executive Orders, memoranda, and other directives terminating DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion)-related positions and activities throughout the federal government. (“IDEA” is LPI’s term for “DEI.”)”
• I already know of several instances wherein people have submitted LPSC abstracts including DEI topics which were summarily rejected. I have also seen social media postings wherein space and planetary scientists and students are objecting to this policy and, in some cases, are refusing to attend/participate at this year’s LPSC.
• Oddly enough LPI has a rather DEI-centric Code of Conduct listed on its site – something that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusions that the NASA DEI police might take issue with. Just sayin’.
• Update On USRA/LPI/LPSC Diversity Censoring (earlier post)
• LPI DEI Censorship Memo From USRA/LPI (earlier post)
• USRA’s Non-Deletion Deletion of LPI Website Material (earlier post)

Keith’s note: this letter was sent by Acting NASA GSFC Director Cynthia Simmons and NASA SMD AA Nicola Fox to Rep. Zoe Lofgren regarding Lofgren’s letter to NASA (House Demands Answers Over Goddard Changes) over concerns about actions being taken at NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center. . Full letter below.

Keith’s note: Blue Origin absolutely nailed their first stage landing while its second stage is doing its thing in orbit with the twin ESCAPADE spacecraft destined for Mars. What a cool birthday present for @NASA SMD AA Nicky Fox. I was on Bloomberg Radio/TV to cover this launch [Audio] [YouTube]

Keith’s note: A recent Politico article cited some internal ideas Jared Isaacman offered to Interim Administrator Sean Duffy. The article said “Isaacman’s manifesto would radically change NASA’s approach to science. He advocates buying science data from commercial companies instead of putting up its own satellites, referring to it a “science-as-a-service.” This article has morphed in various discussion to come out as characterizing Isaacman being anti-science at NASA. In his response summarizing his Project Athena document, Isaacman wrote: “Personally, I have publicly defended programs like the Chandra X-ray Observatory, offered to fund a Hubble reboost mission, and anything suggesting that I am anti-science or want to outsource that responsibility is simply untrue.” Below is the letter that Issacman wrote to former NASA Administrator Nelson in 2024 when news of defunding Chandra first broke. Just remember: Isaacman funded two crewed missions that he crammed full of science and in the process also raised a quarter of a billion dollars for research and support for St. Jude. More below.

Keith’s note: I find it interesting how two similar tweets at totally different scales / disciplines can often appear in sequence on social media. Look at the video in the left post – Molecular machines moving on a backbone – do so in a somewhat similar fashion to the way that the Mobile Servicing System moves on ISS. This is also somewhat of an example of NASA stovepiping. No one in NASA Science world or NASA Human Spaceflight world really thinks like this. I do – and lots of people would – if someone had the task of making NASA 21st century compliant in a world where emergent properties like this from different fields of study spawn new ideas and inventions. Funny thing – the thing happening on the left is part of what is studied inside the thing on the right – and NASA loves to crow about the end result biotech goodies form ISS – but never the synergies that might stop people for a moment to think differently – out of the box – in ways NASA has yet to do. Just sayin’