Keith’s note: there’s some plans in under serious consideration at NASA Ames to do some “phone book updates” aka organizational changes. Most notable is the flattening of the ARC Science Directorate (Code S) into 4 divisions: Space Biosciences, Earth Science, Astrophysics, and Planetary Science / Astrobiology. Flattening = eliminating existing branches. Meanwhile ARC also wants to create an Astrobiology Office at the center’s directorate level. Not sure how this new directorate interacts with SMD Astrobiology management or efforts at other NASA centers. No one at PAO is going to comment on this because of that “predecisional” safety word thing. Stay tuned.

Keith’s note: The following was sent out today by the chairs of NASA’s NASA Planetary Science Analysis/Assessment Groups: “The recent decision by NASA’s Planetary Science Division to cease financial support for planetary science Analysis/Assessment Groups (AGs), effective the end of April 2026, is deeply disappointing. That support enabled, among other things, day-to-day leadership of the AGs, in-person meetings of the science community (including NASA officials), and websites for the dissemination of information and reports to the science community and the public.” (more below)

Keith’s note: this short essay, “A Plea to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, from Planet Earth”, was posted on LinkedIn byJon Mikel Walton, Former Earth Public Engagement Lead, at NASA JPL: “Jared, I used to manage NASA’s Global Climate Change website. As we stand on the edge of humanity’s return to the Moon, I’m asking you to restore NASA’s full leadership on Earth science-and its right to speak plainly about the state of our planet. Nearly sixty years ago, Apollo 8 captured Earthrise: a thin crescent of home suspended in darkness. That single image helped ignite the modern environmental movement, and helped make possible missions like Landsat, which still provides the world’s longest continuous space-based record of Earth’s land surface. (more below)

Keith’s note: on 16 January 2026 NASA Planetary Science Division Director Louise M. Prockter: distributed this letter “The Future of the Planetary Science Analysis and Assessment Groups (AGs)” — (Full Text below).

Keith’s note: Update on the next Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC) sponsored by USRA’s LPI.

• If you go to the LPSC abstract submission page, the top Abstract Submission Criteria listed says “All submitted abstracts must comply with Administration Executive Orders. Any non-compliant abstracts will be removed from consideration for the conference program.”
• The words “Administration Executive Orders“ links to a page regarding DEI which says “NASA headquarters advised LPI and the AGs in late January that all AG activities were to be paused to give the agency time to review them to ensure that they complied with “presidential actions.” Among those presidential actions are various Executive Orders, memoranda, and other directives terminating DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion)-related positions and activities throughout the federal government. (“IDEA” is LPI’s term for “DEI.”)”
• I already know of several instances wherein people have submitted LPSC abstracts including DEI topics which were summarily rejected. I have also seen social media postings wherein space and planetary scientists and students are objecting to this policy and, in some cases, are refusing to attend/participate at this year’s LPSC.
• Oddly enough LPI has a rather DEI-centric Code of Conduct listed on its site – something that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusions that the NASA DEI police might take issue with. Just sayin’.
• Update On USRA/LPI/LPSC Diversity Censoring (earlier post)
• LPI DEI Censorship Memo From USRA/LPI (earlier post)
• USRA’s Non-Deletion Deletion of LPI Website Material (earlier post)

Keith’s note: This was written and originally posted here by Mark V. Sykes, Ph.D., J.D. Senior Scientist, Planetary Science Institute: “This statement is my opinion and does not reflect an official position of the Planetary Science Institute.: Institutions are reeling from the spray of executive orders from the White House since late January. Activities in support of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) have been particular targets, with the cancellation of large numbers of research and other grants and contracts and the bizarre purging of material from government websites (including, for a time, information about the airplane that dropped the first atomic bomb, the Enola Gay). (More below)

According to NASA SMD AA Nicky Fox: “The past several months have seen several changes in the leadership of the NASA’s Planetary Science Division (PSD) and I want to provide an update on how we are supporting this community, now and into the future. This update is lengthy, but important for everyone in the planetary science community.” Full memo

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