Keith’s note: 75% – 3/4 of the people on this planet have never seen humans walk on another world. We’re suddenly in a race to go back to the Moon and we are not clearly in the lead. The next time humans walk on the Moon will be the first time this happens as far as most of humanity is concerned. History is just history. Instead of grainy, flickering black and white imagery on a hulking television we’ll all see people bouncing on the Moon in 4K streaming on our cellphones. How does NASA adapt to this paradigm shift? So far, it is not doing that well. More 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: Looks like the shutdown is over – for now. But it may take a week. And the House has to agree. And then a Senate vote on a Democratic bill in mid-December could start another shutdown. And either way this agreement evaporates at the end of January.

Keith’s note: A recent Politico article cited some internal ideas Jared Isaacman offered to Interim Administrator Sean Duffy. The article said “Isaacman’s manifesto would radically change NASA’s approach to science. He advocates buying science data from commercial companies instead of putting up its own satellites, referring to it a “science-as-a-service.” This article has morphed in various discussion to come out as characterizing Isaacman being anti-science at NASA. In his response summarizing his Project Athena document, Isaacman wrote: “Personally, I have publicly defended programs like the Chandra X-ray Observatory, offered to fund a Hubble reboost mission, and anything suggesting that I am anti-science or want to outsource that responsibility is simply untrue.” Below is the letter that Issacman wrote to former NASA Administrator Nelson in 2024 when news of defunding Chandra first broke. Just remember: Isaacman funded two crewed missions that he crammed full of science and in the process also raised a quarter of a billion dollars for research and support for St. Jude. More below.

Keith’s note: The politicos at White House and NASA were complaining about DEI (Diversity, Equality, Inclusion) in space exploration the other day. They seem to have missed the fact that it was the Trump 1.0 team who aded “first woman” to the NASA Artemis tagline. Oh well. You may recall that I mentioned an outrageous example in March 2025 of DEI-infused censorship at NASA: You Can Still Read NASA’s Deleted “First Woman” Graphic Novels. Two illustrated novels with “First Woman” in their titles featured two young girls, who happened to be brown skinned, yearning to become astronauts and explore the universe. Imagine what they could have become in future volumes of these stories with some of the new AI tools everyone now has access to. More below – including some animated AI examples.

Keith’s note: According to a post by Heron House: “Today our Heron House Family remembers and celebrates the remarkable life of Captain Rick Hauck, a man whose courage carried him through every chapter of life, from commanding missions in space to bravely facing Parkinson’s disease for more than fifteen years. Rick was a NASA astronaut, naval officer, physicist, husband, and father, but to those of us who had the honor of knowing him here at The Heron House, he was something even more profound: a man of quiet strength and dignity.” Ad Astra.

Keith’s note: I find it interesting how two similar tweets at totally different scales / disciplines can often appear in sequence on social media. Look at the video in the left post – Molecular machines moving on a backbone – do so in a somewhat similar fashion to the way that the Mobile Servicing System moves on ISS. This is also somewhat of an example of NASA stovepiping. No one in NASA Science world or NASA Human Spaceflight world really thinks like this. I do – and lots of people would – if someone had the task of making NASA 21st century compliant in a world where emergent properties like this from different fields of study spawn new ideas and inventions. Funny thing – the thing happening on the left is part of what is studied inside the thing on the right – and NASA loves to crow about the end result biotech goodies form ISS – but never the synergies that might stop people for a moment to think differently – out of the box – in ways NASA has yet to do. Just sayin’

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.

Keith’s note: A few weeks ago The Planetary Society was waving its arms about saving NASA science. Great. Then silence. A month later Jared Isaacman has been renominated – not a peep from Planetary Society – just crickets.

Keith’s note: According to “Administration hints furloughed workers may not be paid after shutdown” in the Washington Post: “The Trump administration is sending notifications to federal staff suggesting that only those who are working during the government shutdown will be paid when it ends, despite a 2019 law that also guarantees pay to furloughed employees.” You will recall my posting last week “Is NASA Pulling Back On Retroactive Pay?“ – “NASA folks are getting those new 30 day furlough notices. There is a significant difference in language from round 1 and round 2. The first round letter says you “WILL be receiving retroactive pay… ” In the second letter it says “IF you receive retroactive pay”. “Will” and “If” are not the same thing. In other words there is some doubt that everyone will get retroactive pay – right?”

Keith’s note: according to a Truth Social post: “Sean Duffy has done an incredible job as Interim Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). This evening, I am pleased to nominate Jared Isaacman, an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot, and astronaut, as Administrator of NASA. Jared’s passion for Space, astronaut experience, and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and advancing the new Space economy, make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new Era. Congratulations to Jared, his wife Monica, and their children, Mila and Liv. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DJT”

Keith’s note: this was posted on Twitter by Jaed Isaacman @rookisaacman on 4 November 2025: “It is unfortunate that NASA’s team and the broader space community have to endured distractions like this. There are extraordinary opportunities and some risks ahead and so the focus should be on the mission. With many reporters and other interested parties reaching out, I want to help bring some clarity to the discussion… unfortunately, that means another long post”: [Full posted text below]

“Andrew ‘Andy’ John Stofan, a distinguished NASA leader who guided key space missions and oversaw the initial development of the International Space Station program, died on October 26th in Fair Oaks, VA, at age 90.” Ad Astra (obituary)

Keith’s note: There’s now a “Project Athena” to fix Artemis, Orion, and lots of Greek mythology things; a plan developed by someone; reimagined by someone else; leaked but never published; to thwart the original author’s chance of becoming NASA administrator. I’m waiting to hear what Kim Kardashian thinks about all of this. According to Politico: “The 62-page plan, obtained by POLITICO, proposes outsourcing some of NASA’s missions to the private sector and treating the government agency more like a business. The draft, known as “Project Athena,” not only showcases Isaacman’s radical vision for the space agency. It comes as he reemerges as a potential candidate for the position against acting NASA administrator Sean Duffy. The longtime space enthusiast gave the confidential manifesto to Duffy this summer, according to two people familiar with the plan, but never meant for it to go public. Isaacman and Duffy are now battling for control of the agency and President Donald Trump’s support.”

Keith’s note: A report from a NASA Goddard employee: “I asked excepted people if they have seen any change in Building 36. A move has started and movers moved all of our belongings out from our offices, packed our stuff into boxes, and left it in conference rooms. We were told before that we’d be notified if we needed to move out of our office. Then we were told that there will be no move during the shutdown.” Other GSFC employees have mentioned moves that they were told were not supposed to happen during the shutdown.

Keith’s note: according to a press release issued by GESTA, (Goddard Engineers, Scientists and Technicians Association – IFPTE local 29) the employee union at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, on Saturday night: “Throughout there has been a complete breakdown in communication from NASA agency and Center leadership where decisions are rarely communicated, almost always only verbally, and not directly by the decision makers.” Full release below

Keith’s lament: Apollo missions to the Moon were seen as great feats of exploration by the media. As we try to do that again NASA has clearly lost control of the narrative to tabloid-level stupidity. Since this whole ‘Back to the Moon, Mars, Beyond’ etc. thing was announced 21 years ago we constantly lose our way and get distracted and drag things out faster than we accomplish those things. And now we are going to beat China to the Moon? That’s not gonna happen unless we change the way the government/space industry hive mind does things. Moreover, it will not happen unless NASA gets the population and media on board while all this other crap is going on. Just sayin’

Keith’s note: according to “NASA cuts dozens of Marshall Space Flight Center-based ISS jobs“ by WHNT Huntsville: “Congressman Robert Aderholt’s office confirmed NASA has cut dozens of International Space Station jobs based at Marshall Space Flight Center. Aderholt’s office said several dozen contract employees connected with ISS were let go Friday. They said this is part of the transition as NASA prepares to deorbit the ISS in 2030. Operations at MSFC with the ISS include communicating with astronauts to conduct experiments through the ISS Payload Operations Integration Center.”

Keith’s note: (to no one and everyone in particular. You decide.) In case you haven’t noticed under this Administration people have been fired for the use of one word. Its in the newspapers every day. Everyone is freaked out. I protect my sources and anonymize/edit things when I get them to assure that people (my sources) cannot be identified. Alas, some of you seem to be determined to out the sources or otherwise make it easier for my sources to be identified by paranoid NASA management. So, let me make this clear. I have zero tolerance for this. You will be blocked from commenting if you try. If you try to use other means to comment after I block you I will do my best to block your company/organization etc. from reading NASA Watch and explain why. Got that? (again) people in the civil servant and contractor community are freaked out enough as it is and I am trying to keep them informed while the government is shut down as well as when it is open. I will not be a party to ANYONE being fired or punished for speaking out. Ad Astra y’all.

Keith’s note: If you have been through a typical NASA design review then you know that words have meaning. As noted the other day (see NASA Email: Upcoming Second Formal Furlough Notice) NASA folks are getting those new 30 day furlough notices. There is a significant difference in language from round 1 and round 2. The first round letter says you “WILL be receiving retroactive pay …” In the second letter it says “IF you receive retroactive pay”. “Will” and “If” are not the same thing. In other words there is some doubt that everyone will get retroactive pay – right? You know this because NASA has an army of crack lawyers (who are all currently on furlough) who read these words very, very carefully – and always say what they mean and mean what they say, right? Sounds like someone may be slow rolling people out of retroactive pay. Exact text excerpts below.