Keith’s note: A press release from Representatives Chu, Bacon et al urges “Strong Final FY26 Appropriations for Space Science and Exploration.” Full text and letter below.

Keith’s note: This email was sent to employees at the Engineering Technology Directorate at NASA GSFC. It would appear that these GSFC employees are now going to be working on “national security technologies” – despite the fact that NASA is a civilian space agency. Full email below.

Keith’s note: Remember DOGE? Well, it no longer exists as a thing with that name – although some of the chaos it caused is now formally part of OPM and other parts of the agency. According to Reuters: “U.S. President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency has disbanded with eight months left to its mandate, ending an initiative launched with fanfare as a symbol of Trump’s pledge to slash the government’s size but which critics say delivered few measurable savings. “That doesn’t exist,” Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor told Reuters earlier this month when asked about DOGE’s status. It is no longer a “centralized entity,” Kupor added, in the first public comments from the Trump administration on the end of DOGE.”

Keith’s note: According to this press release Science Committee Democrats Request Inspector General Audit of Goddard Closures and Relocations: “Today, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Science Committee Democratic Members sent a letter to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) requesting a formal audit of the agency’s recent actions regarding widespread closures and relocations at the Goddard Space Flight Center including its main campus in Greenbelt, Maryland”. More below

Keith’s note: There is some chatter in DC that scheduling the re-nomination hearing in the Senate for Jared Isaacman on 3 December may mean that he misses a batch of nominations that are expected to come to a vote soon. So we may not see a vote happen for a while – perhaps even early next year. Meanwhile – remember Matt Anderson? He was nominated to be Deputy NASA Administrator in May. No one has said much – if anything – about his confirmation process.

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: 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: 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: 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: Everyone is pleased that Jared Isaacman is back in the NASA Administration nominee’s chair at NASA. But the current Administration just can’t take this win without taking a swipe at the previous Administration by calling them out on DEI issues – including the agency’s statement about sending the “first woman” to the Moon. see “NASA Nominee Plans to Prioritize America First Agenda in Space, Not DEI“ in the Daily Signal quoted by the White House press secretary: “Under the Biden administration, the public emphasis of the 2026 mission to the moon, Artemis III, was taking the first woman and first person of color there. But astronaut selection is about merit, expertise, and experience, NASA press secretary Bethany Stevens said. Under the Trump administration, NASA has refined its public messaging to reinforce that Artemis is primarily about advancing space exploration.” Newsflash: during the Trump 1.0 Administration (not The Biden Administration) the “first woman” wording was added according to the NASA press release: “NASA Publishes Artemis Plan to Land First Woman, Next Man on Moon in 2024.” Just sayin’. Use Grok next time to check these things.