Keith’s note: according to a well researched and brutally accurate story “NASA is sinking its flagship science center during the government shutdown” at Space.com: “The workforce at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Maryland, say this has put groundbreaking missions at risk, and is degrading roadblocks designed to safeguard human lives. Now, under the cloak of a closed U.S. government, nearly half the GSFC campus — the hub of NASA science — is marked for abandonment.”

Keith’s Update: First NASA Goddard sends an internal email to staff saying “unlike previous large-scale Center reconfigurations, which occurred over a number of years, all planned moves will take place over the next several months and will be completed by March of 2026.” Then they put this thing out for the public minutes late that makes no mention of the accelerated timeframe as if they had planned this whole thing years ago. So I added a footnote 😉

Keith’s note: this is the letter sent by NASA GSFC Associate Center Director to the local Union President regarding cessation of union activities at GSFC. NASA Wallops employees got an identical letter. The wording matches a letter that was sent by the JSC Center Director. More below.

Keith’s note: according to a press release “GESTA Calls for Immediate Intervention to Halt Closure of the NASA Goddard Visitor Center”: “IFPTE Local 29 (aka, GESTA), representing Federal employees at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is calling on Congressional leaders, local government officials, economic stakeholders, and the public to take immediate action to stop the proposed closure of the NASA Goddard Visitor Center — a decision that, if enacted, would inflict irreparable harm on the community, the regional economy, and NASA’s public mission.” More below

Keith’s update: This morning AFGE members at Wallops got the same notification that GESTA received regarding GSFC/WFF facilities.  Keith’s note: There is already a plan to more or less abandon half of Goddard’s buildings. Proposals are due by 1 September on the plan to shut down (maybe commercialize) all of the GSFC buildings West of Goddard Road – which includes Bldg 1 (where the cafeteria/exchange is).  Now NASA is closing the place where people eat lunch and putting a halt to the public’s ability to visit GSFC and WFF. This is really starting to get petty, Sean. People are already demoralized. The following NASA Goddard/Wallops message was re-forwarded tonight by GESTA: “Colleagues, GESTA has just received the following notification from management. We believe all GESTA members, and in fact all Goddard employees, union or not, should be aware of this immediately. Original notice from GSFC management is as follows: This is formal notice regarding several upcoming facility closures at Goddard and Wallops effective October 1, 2025. Management has assessed these closures and is providing this notice to support timely and transparent communication. GESTA wants to ensure you are informed of happenings around Center so that you can help assess the impacts of such closure implementations as soon as possible.”:

• Cafeteria (GB/WFF)
• Vending Services (GB)
• Motor Pool Services (GB/WFF)
• Recreation Center (GB)
• Rocket Club (WFF)
• Visitor Center (GB/WFF)
• Dormitory Facilities Bldg F-4

Keith’s note: There was a Town Hall at Goddard on Monday. Multiple employees have reported that this event was tense. There were security guards posted in the back of the overflow room. According to people who attended the Town Hall, NASA is trying to avoid involuntary RIFs as much as possible but all of this is TBD until the new Administrator shows up to review/approve plans. NASA GISS folks will telework until September until office space in New York City can be found. It would seem that the GISS lease decision was made by NASA and GSA DOGE teams. A DOGE representative told the GSFC Center Director that GISS work had value and that DOGE just had an issue with the lease cost. This is in conflict with a report that it would not be cheaper and would be disruptive (see “NASA Is Terminating The GISS Lease In Five Weeks“). The GSFC Center Director spoke about telework, saying that it is decided by direct line managers as per agency policy. However, it’s clear to folks at GSFC that managers are simply following orders from the directorate level – and each GSFC directorate head has established separate and inconsistent policies.

Keith’s update: I just had a chat with GSFC management. In a nutshell this pandemic and telework has gone on longer than anyone expected and it will go on for quite some time – well into 2021. As such, people and policies need to constantly adapt to an uncertain and ever changing future. You can expect some clarification from GSFC management soon including a request from the GSFC workforce for […]