Keith’s note: yea I know there is a #shutdown but this rates 9 out of 10 on the Scrooge scale Cynthia Simmons and Sean Duffy. (edited) Email sent this week to NASA Goddard employees: “Reminder: Holiday Events Not Permitted at GSFC — Good afternoon, As we gear up for several months of various holidays, please note this reminder that holiday parties, get-togethers, team building events, potlucks, etc. are no longer permitted onsite at GSFC.”

Keith’s note: the following email “Shutdown furlough: Upcoming second formal furlough notice and additional information” was sent to everyone at NASA today. it opens with “When a lapse in appropriations exceeds 30 days, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regulations require agencies to treat it as a new formal furlough and issue a second formal furlough notice.” Full message below.

Keith’s note: A year ago NASA and other government agencies were trying to broaden outreach to all Americans. NASA had a particular focus on reaching underserved communities. That has now evaporated. Instead, government agencies such as the Department of Labor have decided that 1950’s white males with chiseled features in heroic poses should be the symbol of what America is all about.

Keith’s note: The unions that represent some NASA employees continue to push back. Oddly JPL was trying to thwart union organization when the sky started to fall and other NASA centers merely tolerated unions. Now, as the White House severs their role with NASA – and all the professional space industry organizations mostly sit on their hands – they let the layoffs and budget cuts happen. But the Unions have risen to the challenge and now lead the way in championing the collective well being of space community employees. Bravo. For all of you non-union types, a large Bravo Zulu (“well done”) for the unions is in order. See “Legal challenges against Trump’s union EOs continue to proliferate” at Government Executive: “The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers has filed its second lawsuit seeking to block President Trump’s effort to strip collective bargaining rights from two-thirds of the federal workforce, this time on behalf of NASA workers.”

Keith’s note: A judge has halted the new round of layoffs during the Shutdown – but OMB has only just begun to lay people off. Or try to.

• Judge blocks Trump admin from laying off federal workers during government shutdown, Politico: “U.S. District Judge Susan Illston, a Clinton appointee based in California, ruled from the bench after an afternoon hearing, saying that the administration isn’t following legal requirements for conducting reductions in force, or RIFs, and that officials have exceeded their authorities. Illston also cited public comments about the shutdown made by President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought, adding that the layoffs appear to be unlawfully targeted at Democrats.”
• Trump admin federal job cuts likely to be ‘north of 10,000,’ Vought says, CNBC “The Trump administration could slash more than 10,000 federal jobs during the government shutdown, White House budget director Russell Vought said Wednesday. “We want to be very aggressive where we can be in shuttering the bureaucracy, not just the funding,” said Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget. “We now have an opportunity to do that, and that’s where we’re going to be looking for our opportunities.”

Keith’s note: some reactions to JPL’s job layoffs. If the PBR is enacted in whole or in part – and OMB continues to cut and RIF – then this may be just a preview.

• JPL Hit With Another 550 Layoffs as NASA’s Budget Crisis Deepens, Gizmodo, “If you really want NASA to be that leader—not just to win, but also to show why we won—you would be doing the exact opposite of what you’re doing at NASA right now,” Cowing said.”

• JPL, the Southern California NASA center, is laying off hundreds of employees, LAIst, “The JPL that we knew is gone,” said one employee, who has worked at JPL for over 10 years and lamented the repeated layoffs. The engineer also described an ongoing brain drain and a feeling of despondency among the staff. LAist agreed not to name the person, who feared reprisal for speaking publicly.”

• NASA’s JPL cuts 550 jobs in latest round of layoffs at La Cañada Flintridge facility, LA Times, “Layoffs and attrition have reduced JPL’s overall staffing by about one-third in the last two years, sources at the organization said, from roughly 6,500 to around 4,500 after this week’s reduction. JPL endured three rounds of layoffs last year alone, prompted by massive federal budget cuts for its beleaguered Mars Sample Return mission.”

• JPL Workforce Decimated, EOS, “Federal whistleblowers, however, have come forward with evidence that NASA leadership has been operating as if the President’s Budget Request (PBR)—not the appropriations bill—is in effect, directing mission wind-down operations and staff reductions under the assumption of a 20% overall budget cut. Some of that lost spending would affect JPL’s ability to plan, build, and operate Earth science missions and space exploration spacecraft.”

Update: New location. Keith’s note: Heads up NASA JPL folks: event is for JPLers who were laid off in 2025 and 2024 to connect and support one another on Friday 17 October. Full info below.

Keith’s note: the JPL Center Director sent this message to all JPL employees earlier today. Full memo below.

Keith’s note: I was was on KNX News 97.1 FM radio in Los Angeles today (Tuesday) at 3:15 pm PDT/6:15 pm EDT talking about JPL and NASA jobs and NASA budgets. (Audio)

Keith’s note: I got a call tonight from a local reporter in southern California about the layoff threat at JPL. Long story short he pushed hard to try and pry lose my sources. That ain’t gonna happen. Here’s what he posted “Layoffs coming to Pasadena’s JPL: Here’s what we know“– “Meanwhile, Keith Cowing, Nasawatch.com founder and editor, said the information he received was from JPL employees whom he spoke to on the phone, many of whom were crying. He protected his sources, saying he would not name them, because they feared if anyone learned their identities they would be fired for speaking out.” FWIW I said ‘some of whom were crying‘ – not ‘many‘. I am doing my best to report what I know and confirm it, JPLers, but the drama surrounding JPL is starting to peg my B.S. meter. Just sayin’. Meanwhile, hang in there.