Keith’s note: The other day I tweeted that “In the @NASAKennedy town hall yesterday KSC Center Director and former Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro said that it was that DOGE and the Administration who told her to consider firing probationary employees ‘because that’s an easy way to cut down the work force’.” NASA PAO has told me that Janet Petro has “worked to ensure the continuity of the Pathways intern program” and I corrected that tweet. However I am told by iron clad sources that Janet Petro directed NASA Goddard to get rid of all interns, close the cafeteria and the health unit. DOGE was not the source of this direction. Like a lot of recent actions at NASA that involve DOGE, personnel downsizing, budget cuts, and mission cancellations, the real story is somewhere in between and subject to revision. I stand by my sources and yet I will always make corrections when NASA emphatically disputes my reporting.

Keith’s note: You may recall that NASA has pushed a huge portion of its science and engineering workforce out the door. Now NASA Johnson Center director Vanessa Wyche wants to hire people as Interns (students). Internships are great – but they usually embody a chance to eventually land a permanent job at NASA. Given all the firings, that is not likely. But if you look at the work descriptions it sounds like the things that departed employees used to do albeit more cheaply. Oh yes, there is a typo in her LinkedIn post that says “pursing” which is defined as ‘puckering one’s lips to express disapproval or irritation instead’ of “pursuing”. Just sayin’.