Keith’s Update: First NASA Goddard sends an internal email to staff saying “unlike previous large-scale Center reconfigurations, which occurred over a number of years, all planned moves will take place over the next several months and will be completed by March of 2026.” Then they put this thing out for the public minutes late that makes no mention of the accelerated timeframe as if they had planned this whole thing years ago. So I added a footnote 😉

Keith’s note: this memo was sent to GSFC-DL-ALL from GSFC-Communications today at 2:12 PM. Subject: Transforming for the Future at Greenbelt and Wallops. It is important to note that the memo says “unlike previous large-scale Center reconfigurations, which occurred over a number of years, all planned moves will take place over the next several months and will be completed by March of 2026.” (Full text below)

Keith’s note: The Department of Defense War is now cracking down on journalists who wish to commit acts of actual journalism at DOD DOW. Since NASA’s role has now been formally redefined by Executive Order 14343 as having “a primary function intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative, or national security work” what can we expect in terms of how NASA PAO (Public Affairs Office) interacts with media? This may be a stretch – and it would certainly be a departure for NASA’s long-standing practice – but here is a possible preview: According to “Pentagon demands journalists pledge to not obtain unauthorized material” in the Washington Post: “The Trump administration unveiled a new crackdown Friday on journalists at the Pentagon, saying it will require them to pledge they won’t gather any information — even unclassified — that hasn’t been expressly authorized for release, and will revoke the press credentials of those who do not obey. Under the policy, the Pentagon may revoke press passes for anyone it deems a security threat. Possessing confidential or unauthorized information, under the new rules, would be grounds for a journalist’s press pass to be revoked.” Just sayin’.

Keith’s note: OK so there is no legislation to extend spending until 21 November. Congress is leaving town and will only be back on 30 September – 1 October when it is probably too late to prevent a shutdown. The Presidential Budget Request (PBR) for FY 2026 kicks in and all the scary things that White House and OMB wanted to do to NASA missions and personnel will happen. Of course things could pivot in a new chaotic direction in an hour. So plan accordingly. Update: There is some chatter that the House Appropriations Bill as it frames a NASA budget (which is bad but less bad than PBR by comparison) is what Sean Duffy will be following until there is some clarity on a real budget. BUT this guidance is trickling down inefficiently and those people whose programs and missions – and employment – are nuked by the FY 2026 PBR are still acting as if that worst case scenario is what lies ahead on 1 October 2025. Talk about crushing agency productivity even further. After watching a needlessly capricious mass personnel exodus and incessant byzantine executive order actions by this Administration, no one at NASA really trusts what has become yet one false hope joke after another.

Keith’s note: the following email was sent out today across NASA from the Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) to union members saying that they are now former union members. Full memo below.

Keith’s note: Since there will be no budget emerging from Congress on 30 September, on 1 October the President’s Budget Request for FY 2026 will reign – unfettered. Add in some recision for good measure. The people of NASA will want to know what is going on – from NASA – not NASAWatch. Alas, NASA OCOMM/PAO will have ~60 FTEs laid off i.e. fewer people to explain increasingly more inexplicable things. “Beginning in FY 2026, the Office of Communications will restructure the organization to an Agency or centralized structure vs Center-specific to eliminate functions not statutorily mandated, except functions the Agency deems necessary, consolidate management layers and duplicative functions, and evaluate/implement technological solutions that automate routine tasks.” Source: PBR SD-21

Keith’s note: According to a press release “Today, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) sent a letter to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Acting Administrator Sean Duffy expressing her serious concern regarding NASA’s relationship with the Department of Defense (DoD).” More below.

Keith’s note: Have a look at “I’m a former astronaut: NASA workers are afraid, and safety is at risk“ by Garrett Reisman at The Space Review: “I call upon NASA’s interim administrator, Sean Duffy; the new associate administrator, Amit Kshatriya; and the rest of NASA leadership to proceed with caution. Administrator Duffy said just this past week that “sometimes we can let safety be the enemy of making progress.” Based on my experience at SpaceX, I assert that safety and progress are not mutually exclusive, and I challenge NASA to accomplish both without compromising either. Finally, let me remind you that it will be much harder to achieve our national ambitions in space without the contributions of everyone who has the talent and interest to help. So, as you reduce NASA’s workforce and work to reshape its culture it is imperative that you ensure that personnel decisions are made based only on performance and merit and not based on a person’s gender, race or sexual orientation. That is not only the right thing to do for NASA; it is the right thing to do period.”

Keith’s note: According to a press release from Reps. Chu and Bacon: “Without an anomaly providing guidance on the NASA budget,” the Members wrote, “OMB has pledged to apply its proposed FY 2026 cuts as soon as October 1st. That would result in an unprecedented, single-year cut to NASA, particularly NASA’s space science activities, resulting in irreversible impacts on America’s space leadership and capabilities.” — “We therefore respectfully ask the Committee to include language in the CR explicitly protecting NASA funding at no less than the FY 2024/2025 enacted levels. Congress has acted before to protect essential programs under CRs, and NASA – a vital part of our economy, our national security, and our global standing – deserves the same protection,” concluded the lawmakers.”

Keith’s note: according to “No Cuts to NASA, Say Supporters & Experts at Rally Outside Headquarters”: Yesterday, NASA supporters held a rally outside the agency’s headquarters to call for a congressional budget that fully funds the agency, and to call on NASAs leadership to stop making cuts to programs before the budget has even been passed. A crowd heard from speakers ranging from NASA employees to science advocates to Representative Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10). (More below)

Keith’s note: A Congressional decision on a budget looms. Nothing has emerged other than confusion and posturing. Republicans are moving toward a vote on a short-term spending bill that would allow the Federal government to remain open when the new budget year begins on 1 October and would stretch into the middle of November. Not a solution. Just a stunt to buy some time. Democrats are simultaneously moving to resist whatever cuts the Administration wants to make and may vote to shut the government down if a negotiated compromise is not reached. Given the lack of a formal budget, the Administration will be more or less free to implement its Presidential Budget Request for FY 2026 (big cuts) plus utilize recision power to make other cuts. As such NASA would likely be facing an amplified worst case scenario in 2 weeks – something that will be hard to reverse once implemented. Both sides will blame the other for shutdowns and cuts yet both sides will be responsible. So … plan your future accordingly – if you can. Ad Astra.

Keith’s note: As you ponder protests, policies, and how everyone should respond, re-read this part of the Executive Order that erases NASA’s union rights. It redefines what NASA is – despite whatever wording is in its charter or innumerable authorization and appropriations over the years. It says that NASA is “hereby determined to have as a primary function intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative, or national security work. It is also hereby determined that Chapter 71 of title 5, United States Code, cannot be applied to these agencies and agency subdivisions in a manner consistent with national security requirements and considerations.” No mention of that science and exploration stuff. Indeed, this pivots NASA closer to Space Force. And it is not to be unexpected that NASA employees may soon see their ability to speak out reigned in as it already is within the Defense and Intelligence agencies. Again, read the words. They are rather precise.

Keith’s note: There will be another “Save NASA” protest at NASA Headquarters on Monday Sept. 15th. This is the third “Save NASA” protest in Washington, DC. Despite being totally relevant to workforce and science funding issues being discussed but he White House and Congress, the Planetary Society which has been pushing its own efforts, refuses to make any mention of this event or others involving actual NASA employees fighting for their jobs and their agency. For that matter, none of the space advocacy or trade organizations seem to want to mention this event – which should tell you a lot about their priorities – or lack thereof. Oddly they just added IFPTE to their lobbying team yet ignore their priority activities. Expected speakers include:

• Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, VA-10 – House Cmte on Space, Science, and Technology
• Monica Gorman, Area Vice President, Goddard Engineers, Scientists and Technicians Association (GESTA) – Union representing Goddard technical civil servants
• Colette Delwalla, Executive Director, Stand Up For Science
• Dr. Mollie Manier, National Institutes of Health, signer of the Bethesda Declaration
• Matthew Biggs, President, International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers (IFPTE) – National body for GESTA

More below

Keith’s note: You may recall that NASA has pushed a huge portion of its science and engineering workforce out the door. Now NASA Johnson Center director Vanessa Wyche wants to hire people as Interns (students). Internships are great – but they usually embody a chance to eventually land a permanent job at NASA. Given all the firings, that is not likely. But if you look at the work descriptions it sounds like the things that departed employees used to do albeit more cheaply. Oh yes, there is a typo in her LinkedIn post that says “pursing” which is defined as ‘puckering one’s lips to express disapproval or irritation instead’ of “pursuing”. Just sayin’.

Keith’s note: the following email was sent by the president of President AFEU/IFPTE local 30 at NASA Ames to employees: “Hello Everyone, On August 28, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14343, titled, “Further Exclusions from The Federal Labor-Management Relations Program” (EO 14343). This is notification that NASA intends to fully implement this Executive Order which excludes the agency from the Federal Service Labor Management Statute.” More below.

Keith’s note: the following email and attached memo was sent to NASA MSFC employees by the president of the Marshall Engineers and Scientists Association (MESA) [Update: The union asked me to edit out email addresses etc. so I did. They also asked that I take it offline but given that it is “in the wild” and has been sent to me multiple times – and it is inherently newsworthy- it remains online.] “All, Yesterday afternoon MESA received official notification from MSFC Center Director Pelfrey that MSFC will comply with Executive Order 14343 – Further Exclusions From the Federal Labor-Management Relations Program (link below). This may be the last email I am able to send to you in this fashion as one of your union representatives as MSFC is choosing to comply with the President’s determination that your jobs are primarily “intelligence, counterintelligence, investigatory, or national security” in nature. Therefore, MSFC will be canceling our labor contract, which was ratified by MESA membership and approved by NASA last year (link also below). Please see the attached for a more detailed message that I encourage you to forward to your personal emails for reading/reviewing when you’re in a non-duty status (off the clock)”. More below

Keith’s note: this was issued Thursday evening: “Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren Blasts Trump Administration for Cruel Union Busting — Today, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that it will join several other agencies in terminating contracts with labor unions. “The president’s union busting stinks,” said Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). “These unions have been working hard to protect their members as Trump continues to target dedicated civil servants through illegal firings, coercions to resign, intimidation tactics, and more. Trump finds that inconvenient, so he’s getting rid of the unions that get in his way.” NASA Has yet to post anything about this decision. You would think that employees might want to know that their unions are going away. See No No More Unions Allowed At NASA. Happy Labor Day regarding the Executive Order that started this union busting.

Keith’s note: NASA JSC Center Director Vanessa Wyche sent a letter to the AFGE Union President president saying “On August 28, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14343, titled, “Further Exclusions from The Federal Labor-Management Relations Program” (EO 14343). This is notification that NASA intends to fully implement this Executive Order which excludes the agency from the Federal Service Labor Management Statute.” Full text below.

Keith’s note: A picture of the NASA Ames Honor Awards event submitted by someone who was there. Note the shirt in the front row. Update: the brave woman in this picture is Katherine Fisher, a molecular biologist at NASA ARC, who made a public post on LinkedIn: “It is bittersweet to share that I was awarded the Exceptional Public Achievement Medal at the NASA Honor Awards. I really appreciate the nomination and the honor of this individual award. I was laid off in May due to budget issues and this award recognizes the achievements I made on the Space Algae-2 flight experiment. I hope to return to NASA one day and my heart goes out to the others in my shoes.”