Keith’s note: Dr. Kate Marvel at NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (gutted by NASA and DOGE) has left the agency. According to E&E News “Kate Marvel announced Tuesday that she’d quit her job at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies due to ongoing uncertainties about science funding and the ability to conduct climate research under the Trump administration.” On BlueSky she noted: “I just resigned from NASA. It breaks my heart to leave, but I’ve become convinced the best path forward is to do the best science I can, and that can’t be here anymore. I’m still in love with the promise of those four magic letters. Ad astra per aspera, and remember: Earth is the only good planet.”

Keith’s note: Several sources report that the NASA GISS lease of the Armstrong Hall building in New York City can’t be broken by GSA without incurring a large financial penalty. So, if NASA leaves anyway with a DOGE claim of a cost savings NASA will still be paying ~$3 million a year until 2031 for a building they can’t/won’t use – – plus the rent for wherever the GISS folks are moved to.

Keith’s Update from additional sources: During an extensive independent review of GISS (and NSSTC) ending in December 2024 it was concluded that it would cost NASA (and GSA) much more to try to terminate the current GISS lease – and that while also doing there would be massive damage to ongoing research going on. This move won’t safe DOGE or anyone else anything. Quite the contrary. Keith’s earlier note: This was just sent to all NASA Goddard and GISS employees by Makenzie Lystrup: “Dear Colleagues: As you likely know, the administration is currently examining all government leases. As a result, NASA’s lease of Columbia University’s Armstrong Hall in New York City, home to the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, will end effective May 31, 2025.”

A memorial for our colleague Dr. Michael Mishchenko will be held Fri. Nov. 6 at 11:00 New York time (16:00 UTC) via Zoom and YouTube. Registration is required — connection links will be emailed. For full details, please see https://t.co/5rDyPPCTZ9 pic.twitter.com/CLtXgsZeY1 — NASA GISS (@NASAGISS) October 29, 2020

#NASA says "GISS websites may be unavailable due to network reconfiguration"Does this mean data will be removed? https://t.co/7VmNwzWtln pic.twitter.com/7FMfNKsK9F — NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) July 26, 2017