Keith’s note: According to this press release from the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation there will be a “Full Committee Nominations Hearing for Jared Isaacman (NASA) and Steven Haines at Dept. of Commerce on Wednesday, December 3, 2025 at 10:00 AM EST in Committee Hearing Room, Russell 253. The hearing will stream live on the Committee web site and YouTube.”

Keith’s note: According to this press release: “Bale Dalton – a distinguished Naval Aviator and former Chief of Staff of NASA – announced his candidacy for Congress in Florida’s 7th District.”

Keith’s note: the following letter was sent by the Maryland Congressional delegation to Acting NASA Administrator Duffy on 13 November 2025 with regard to a variety of issues raised about actions being taken at NASA Goddard. Answers requested by 17 November 2025. Full letter below.

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: According to a House Science Democrats press release: “Today, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) sent a letter to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Acting Administrator Sean Duffy demanding that NASA immediately halt plans to close and move laboratories and mission-critical facilities at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The Ranking Member states NASA must respond within 24 hours and emphasizes the threat these chaotic and veiled moves and closures, partially carried out during a government shutdown, pose for flagship NASA missions. Committee staff obtained new information late last week that Goddard has told staff additional facilities would need to be emptied by Wednesday, November 12.” More below plus full letter.

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.

(Originally posted 30 Sep 2025) To The NASA Family: Selfish, shortsighted power brokers are toying with America’s technological leadership in a game of brinksmanship. People suffer as a result. It is people who enable science agencies and research organizations to discover and explore the unknown. From subatomic structure and the chemistry of life – to the structure of the universe and the tools to explore it – NASA is singular in its ability to explore existence at every known scale of time and cosmic organization. More below

Keith’s note: Last week I posted some updates on the Space Shuttle Discovery relocation drama. I just got an update from the KeepTheShuttle folks about the attempt by Texas senators to take Shuttle Discovery from the Smithsonian and move it Houston – because they can. Update below.

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: Things are moving fast here in Washington DC. Chaos reigns. The President quasi-communicates via social media. With a shutdown that shows no indication of being resolved, the White House has explicitly stated that they are moving ahead with plans to lay off thousands of employees across the Federal government. Every agency has provided their plans according to the White House. Administration sources say that the layoffs could start as early as Friday morning. The President overtly targets “Democrat Agencies” for these layoffs. So, if you are looking for answers – what do I know? I guess it all comes down to whether the Administration considers NASA – or some part thereof – to be a “Democrat Agency”. Or not. All I can suggest is to hang on and keep the dream alive. Ad Astra. None of you deserve this.