Keith’s note: A few weeks ago The Planetary Society was waving its arms about saving NASA science. Great. Then silence. A month later Jared Isaacman has been renominated – not a peep from Planetary Society – just crickets.

Keith’s note: There’s a big space space science thing on Capitol Hill today. No media were allowed – at least not until I got a message rather late last night saying that there was going to be an impromptu media event. But I did not get this update from the Planetary Society – since they simply refuse to put me on any mailing list – or contact me. Whatever. I am just a little fish. Rather, I got the media note from a sponsoring organization who told me that they had just gotten it from Planetary Society. So much for making sure that this whole save space science thing gets maximal media exposure. And if Planetary Society does not like you – oh well. Planetary Society does cool stuff but their leadership often behaves like a bunch of snowflakes and they ignore anything wherein they are not the biggest pony in the parade. Many of the participating organizations did little – if anything – to promote this event. BUT – to all of you who showed up: massive congratulations are in order. Each one of you represented thousands of others who could not participate. Alas, one-off events with no follow-up evaporate very fast – especially with fast news cycles and vastly more important societal and political issues bombarding us. FWIW I just tweeted this. Did I forget anything?

• The space science crowd does not talk about human spaceflight – droids are better
• The human spaceflight crowd simply says they “do some science” after they land – and photo ops
• Commercial space companies think they can do everything NASA does – better
• Science & human space flight folks are wary of commercial space – since everything is “payload”
• Outside the space bubble no one seems to care – since they have growing rent and food concerns
• True explorers sit back and watch in frustration.

Keith’s note: according to “No Cuts to NASA, Say Supporters & Experts at Rally Outside Headquarters”: Yesterday, NASA supporters held a rally outside the agency’s headquarters to call for a congressional budget that fully funds the agency, and to call on NASAs leadership to stop making cuts to programs before the budget has even been passed. A crowd heard from speakers ranging from NASA employees to science advocates to Representative Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10). (More below)

Keith’s note: As you ponder protests, policies, and how everyone should respond, re-read this part of the Executive Order that erases NASA’s union rights. It redefines what NASA is – despite whatever wording is in its charter or innumerable authorization and appropriations over the years. It says that NASA is “hereby determined to have as a primary function intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative, or national security work. It is also hereby determined that Chapter 71 of title 5, United States Code, cannot be applied to these agencies and agency subdivisions in a manner consistent with national security requirements and considerations.” No mention of that science and exploration stuff. Indeed, this pivots NASA closer to Space Force. And it is not to be unexpected that NASA employees may soon see their ability to speak out reigned in as it already is within the Defense and Intelligence agencies. Again, read the words. They are rather precise.

Keith’s note: Speaking as a person bitten by a space bug at age 6 in 1961, nothing in this Planetary Society piece “A cosmic perspective worth fighting for“ is actually incorrect per se. But it is written from the warped perspective of one person inside the space bubble talking to others inside the same space bubble. Anyone who takes 30 seconds looking outside that bubble will realize that the real world – where all of the non-space converts and decision makers spend 100% of their time – has no time for lofty goals and inspirational things. It is all about meat and potatoes, paychecks, whether or not you can love someone, all covered with a deep sauce of ‘us Vs them’. Space people need to read the room and adapt their strategies to the world as it is – not as we would like it to be. Ad Astra etc.

Keith’s note: There will be another “Save NASA” protest at NASA Headquarters on Monday Sept. 15th. This is the third “Save NASA” protest in Washington, DC. Despite being totally relevant to workforce and science funding issues being discussed but he White House and Congress, the Planetary Society which has been pushing its own efforts, refuses to make any mention of this event or others involving actual NASA employees fighting for their jobs and their agency. For that matter, none of the space advocacy or trade organizations seem to want to mention this event – which should tell you a lot about their priorities – or lack thereof. Oddly they just added IFPTE to their lobbying team yet ignore their priority activities. Expected speakers include:

• Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, VA-10 – House Cmte on Space, Science, and Technology
• Monica Gorman, Area Vice President, Goddard Engineers, Scientists and Technicians Association (GESTA) – Union representing Goddard technical civil servants
• Colette Delwalla, Executive Director, Stand Up For Science
• Dr. Mollie Manier, National Institutes of Health, signer of the Bethesda Declaration
• Matthew Biggs, President, International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers (IFPTE) – National body for GESTA

More below

Keith’s note: the following email was sent by the president of President AFEU/IFPTE local 30 at NASA Ames to employees: “Hello Everyone, On August 28, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14343, titled, “Further Exclusions from The Federal Labor-Management Relations Program” (EO 14343). This is notification that NASA intends to fully implement this Executive Order which excludes the agency from the Federal Service Labor Management Statute.” More below.

Keith’s note: A reader started to give crap on LinkedIn on Wednesday about an image of his that had gone viral – and that I reposted before I knew the source. When I offered to credit him with is name it went sideways. So I retagged the photo with a generic tag to protect him. I did not identify him since I don’t do that. But then he started to stalk me on another social media platform and, given his employment as a law enforcement employee at NASA with a profile pic in full camo gear, well, a line had been crossed. Messages to NASA PAO have since gone unanswered – so there you go. Original posts below.

Keith’s note: I just saw this Space Frontier Foundation post over on Facebook “Why does space still struggle to compete for attention, resources, and belief?” My answer: Because you space people cannot read the room outside your space bubble where the rest of humanity lives – the people who pay for the whole space party one way or another. The same people who struggle to pay bills and stay afloat. Link your dreams to their needs and you will get more support. If people do not understand your interest then find a new way to talk to them – in ways that resonate with them – not with other space fans. Otherwise just sit down.

Keith’s note: according to a group of concerned citizens: There will be a “Save NASA” protest coming up on Sunday, July 20th.  Our group previously organized the protest in front of NASA Headquarters in DC on June 30th.  We are a peaceful protest group, and we stand in solidarity with other scientific advocacy groups. (More below)