Keith’s note: according to a LaRC participant: “The overall sentiment was one of transparency, sharing information as it comes, and empathy. The Center Director has been proactive communicating when information is available. And has shared multiple resources for the LaRC employees. While I’m only one of a few thousand, I personally feel the Center Director cares deeply about the group and is doing her best to try and help LaRC as we try to survive this absolute shit show.” Details below.

Keith’s note: I was just on Bloomberg TV/radio/Web. [audio] I was asked if there was an issue with New Interim NASA Administrator Sean Duffy having more than one job. I replied that this usually means that you delegate more to your staff. I noted that while Department of Transportation involves a lot of known, commonplace things but that NASA is really all about the whole rocket science thing and that Duffy will really need to lean heavily upon NASA staff. I also noted that the agency is still being run by NASA Chief of Staff Brian Hughes who is a former Trump campaign guy and a pal of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles – and that having a direct hotline into the White House when you need something is certainly not a bad thing to have. On the other hand Duffy is a staunch Trump loyalist so he’ll be implementing the Presidential Budget Request for NASA for FY 2026 including layoffs and cancellations as if it is a formal plan until directed otherwise by Congressional action on a budget that the President signs off on. Video below – my interview starts at 44:20

Keith’s note: this is from NASA PAO “I am honored to have served the President as the acting NASA Administrator for the past 6 months. His decision to appoint Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy as acting Administrator reflects the high priority he places on our agency at this pivotal time. I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with Secretary Duffy—including during Crew-9’s return in the Space Operations Center at NASA Headquarters—and I’m confident in his leadership as we carry forward the President’s ambitious agenda. I look forward to supporting a smooth transition and returning home to Kennedy Space Center as Center Director. At home in Florida, I’ll continue to work hand-in-hand with Secretary Duffy to propel the President’s ambitious goals.” – Janet Petro.

Keith’s note: the following memo updated 9 July 2025 is circulating around the KSC community and has official management answers to questions about DRP, RIFs etc. Full memo below.

Keith’s note: As of today the current number of NASA civil servants who are departing is around 2,900 across the agency – of that, people taking DRP 1 and 2 = approximately 2,000. This article from Politico has some info on the numbers from various NASA field centers. Of course how contractor employees are being affected is still a mystery and will ultimately be driven by sheer budget numbers.

Keith’s note: Things are starting to look darker at NASA. The Supreme Court just gave the final, ultimate green light to the Administration to gut agencies – NASA – however they wish to do so. Its time to adapt to this new paradigm. It is gloomy now. But that will eventually pass. NASA’s best days lie ahead. (More below).

Keith’s note: In what will soon become commonplace another valuable and valued employee is leaving NASA: Ronald Gamble, Jr, Ph.D., a Theoretical Astrophysicist in the Astrophysics Science Division at NASA GSFC. He posted this on LinkedIn: “An amazing thing happens when you pursue a dream and achieve it — you transform. It is a metamorphosis that forever changes you. These last four years at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and The University of Maryland have been the most transformative and invigorating time in my career and I will never forget the work and connections I’ve made.” (more below)

Keith’s note: the pace at which people are leaving NASA is going up. People with 25 years like Edward Gonzales are bidding farewell. I have seen many notes from folks but this one he posted on LinkedIn just stopped me in my tracks. Reposted here with his permission. AdAstra Eddie from NASA. Full post below.

Keith’s note: Here’s a snapshot of where things stand in the DRP (Deferred Resignation Program) arena: Over 2,600 NASA employees have taken the deal so far and the window doesn’t even close until 25 July. In addition, there are another 350 or non-DRP departures scheduled. Add that up and you have over 17% of the NASA workforce planning imminent departure. Over 70 SES employees are leaving – that includes Human Resource directors, the CIO, and the CISO. Center Directors are also planning departures. NASA is going to be at the lowest level of employees since it was founded. At this rate an agency-wide RIF may not be needed but focused RIFs at centers may still be called for. People without options are staying behind risking RIF exposure with an increasingly bad job market. Back at NASA, with large gaping holes in expertise at forming, you have to know that reassignments and relocations are going to be required to “re-balance” things. Of course the contractor workforce gets doubly screwed since they have no real protections. University researchers will be left high and dry. And you can forget about nurturing the pipeline of next generation space scientists and engineers. This is not making space great again. Rather, it is NASA being taken off of the playing field while other nations ramp up and reach for the prize.

Keith’s note: According to White House looks to freeze more agency funds — and expand executive power in Politico: “OMB’s targets include NSF research and education programs that operate using funding leftover from 2024. Also on the list are … more than $100 million in science spending at NASA, which includes climate research.” Meanwhile, internal agency sources report that NASA is already implementing aspects of FY 2026 budget request – now – sometimes using FY 2025 dollars. And they are emboldened in so doing by various Executive Orders from the White House and loyalists on the 9th floor. NASA is acting as if FY 2026 request is the de facto operating plan going forth. Dozens of NASA mission teams are scrambling to complete shutdown plans to make it easier for NASA to start flipping the OFF switch on short notice. The plan is to implement all of the shutdowns etc. effective on 1 October 2025 i.e. as FY 2026 begins – regardless of what the actual status of a real FY 2026 Congressional budget is. By the time there’s a formal budget it will be too late to reverse most – if not all – of these layoffs, shutdowns, and cancellations. Of course, NASA also has RIF plans – but they use euphemisms to say that they don’t. Since not enough people are leaving, something has to give. And don’t count on Congress to come to the agency’s rescue. It’s going to be a long hot summer y’all, so Embrace THAT Challenge.

Keith’s note: This notice describes the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) plans to address criminally liable regulatory offenses under the recent executive order on Fighting Overcriminalization in Federal Regulations. [see 90 FR 28818 – Guidance on Referrals for Potential Criminal Enforcement]. (full text below)

Keith’s note: According to “The first rule in Trump’s Washington: Don’t write anything down“ in The Washington Post:

• “Within the Interior Department, top officials are telling U.S. Geological Survey center directors not to put the words “reduction in force” or “RIF” – both terms for federal layoffs – in memos or emails, according to an employee there. At the Education Department, political appointees are scrambling to move staff around to make up for resignations and firings, but refusing to issue reassignments in writing, said a former staffer there.”

• “At one NASA center on the West Coast, staff no longer have conversations at their cubicles, an employee said: Any chats happen inside an office, with the door closed, and most people prefer to talk outside on the lawn, escaping the building entirely. “Nothing is written down,” the employee said. “Nothing.”

Keith’s note: NASA Associate Administrators & Center Directors are told by the Acting Administrator to get more people to quit. Non-compliance by CDs/AAs will lead to their firing. And yes, there will be RIFs. Monday’s protest is a start. So, take Janet Petro’s advice: Embrace The Challenge – show them you won’t take this sitting down. Be safe.

Keith’s note: As noted last week there will be a protest outside of NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC from 7:00-11:00 am EDT on Monday, 30 June 2025. Information about the event can be found here. This event has obtained a formal permit from Metro DC Police. The event is endorsed by the Goddard Engineers, Scientists, and Technicians Association (GESTA). But NASA HQ management is not happy about this. This event is not endorsed by and does not represent the views of NASA or any employer doing business with NASA. But you would be wise to be aware of your surroundings and who may be watching you. The employee union is spreading in accurate information by mentioning the word “strike” – which this is not – and no one has ever said it was. Here is what the organizers, NASA employees union, NASA management, and the NASA HQ union says: (More below)

Keith’s note: HQ-NASA-INC sent this out at 3:04 PM edt today about the demonstration at NASA HQ On monday: “NASA Headquarters Team, A demonstration is scheduled to take place outside NASA Headquarters from 7 to 11 a.m. EDT on Monday, June 30. The demonstration is permitted by the Metro DC Police.

Keith’s note: As of 4:07 pm EDT has 1,604 people taking voluntary separation. The 9th floor has been pushing Center Directors, Directorate AAs, etc. to get more people to quit – a lot more – over 3,000+ more.

Thank you to everyone who tuned in for this week’s agency town hall. More than 32,000 of you watched through townhall.nasa.gov – and that doesn’t include those who gathered in auditoriums and conference rooms to watch together. A big thanks to our Office of the Chief Information Officer for putting key measures in place to ensure we stayed online and uninterrupted from start to finish.  Keith’s note: here is the audio from the Town hall event – note that although the topic of RIF was frequently asked, Janet Petro makes zero mention of that word or statements that she and her staff made in this sanitized version of the event. Instead it is all about “voluntary workforce shaping”.

Keith’s note: I have heard from 6 senior people today that RIFs at NASA are openly discussed – now – as a distinct possibility. Indeed NASA management is being told to urge more people to leave in advance. Casey, Janet, Vanessa et al are playing with semantics as they did today at the Town Hall when they try and convince you otherwise. NASA Needs at least 3,000+ more people to be gone according to existing downsizing plans. Be prepared.

Keith’s note: this internal email was sent to NASA Employees by the new NASA Chief of staff Brian Hughes (LinkedIn). I find it to be a little odd that Hughes makes no mention whatsoever of Altenhofen’s long career at SpaceX before he came to NASA. Hughes wrote: “Since just after President Trump’s inauguration, Michael Altenhofen LinkedIn) has served as a White House appointee at NASA ensuring that the foundation of change for this agency is strong. He worked with the Acting leadership team to evaluate how our agency can be reimagined for the President’s vision. His experience in space policy inside and outside NASA is immense and with his transitional work here complete he returns to his family and new opportunities. As a college student, Michael interned at NASA Goddard Spaceflight center and leaves having been an invaluable asset in the Administrators Suite. He will continue to serve as Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the Administrator until June 27th. On behalf of Acting Administrator Janet Petro, the agency leadership, and the entire workforce, I extend a heartfelt thank you to Michael and ask everyone to join me in wishing him great success in his future endeavors.”