Keith’s note: I was just on CNN on HBOMax with Jim Sciutto talking about Jim Lovell [Audio] transcript below.

Keith’s Update: I will been CNN at 6:37 pm EDT to talk about Jim Lovell. Keith’s note: I met Jim Lovell a bunch of times. He was such a nice guy. One time we were both on MSNBC and the moderator asked us about the whole ‘spending money in space – problems on Earth’ thing. I said “Hey Jim – did you ever see a 7-11 or a gas station up there in space – somewhere where you could actually spend money in space“? He laughed and said “No Keith I can’t say that I did.” I replied “Yea that’s because all that money is spent here on Earth” He replied something akin to “exactly”. That is my Jim Lovell Story. This statement has been issued by NASA: “NASA sends its condolences to the family of Capt. Jim Lovell, whose life and work inspired millions of people across the decades. Jim’s character and steadfast courage helped our nation reach the Moon and turned a potential tragedy into a success from which we learned an enormous amount. We mourn his passing even as we celebrate his achievements.” Ad Astra Jim.

Keith’s note: According to an OpEd by House Science Committee Chair Babin: “Here’s the problem: Although Congress is working to ensure NASA has what it needs, the Office of Management and Budget’s proposed budget doesn’t align with Mr. Trump’s directives. To be blunt: OMB needs to start rowing in the same direction. We don’t have time for budget games.”

Keith’s note: This White House Executive Order “Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking“ dropped today. Highlights:

• “Discretionary awards must, where applicable, demonstrably advance the President’s policy priorities.”
• “Applicants should commit to complying with administration policies, procedures, and guidance respecting Gold Standard Science”.
• “Each agency head shall promptly designate a senior appointee who shall be responsible for creating a process to review new funding opportunity announcements and to review discretionary grants to ensure that they are consistent with agency priorities and the national interest.”
• “The term “senior appointee” means an individual appointed by the President, a non-career member of the Senior Executive Service, or an employee encumbering a Senior Level, Scientific and Professional, or Grade 15 position in Schedule C of the excepted service.”
• “Until such time as the process specified in subsection (a) of this section is in place, agencies shall not issue any new funding opportunity announcements without prior approval from the senior appointee designated under subsection (a) of this section, except as required by law.”
• “Discretionary awards shall not be used to fund, promote, encourage, subsidize, or facilitate: racial preferences or other forms of racial discrimination by the grant recipient, including activities where race or intentional proxies for race will be used as a selection criterion for employment or program participation; denial by the grant recipient of the sex binary in humans or the notion that sex is a chosen or mutable characteristic; illegal immigration; or any other initiatives that compromise public safety or promote anti-American values.”

Keith’s note: According to a press release from AFGE, AFL-CIO Union: “The Union representing Federal employees at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility is calling on Congressional leaders, local government officials, economic stakeholders, and the public to take immediate action to stop the proposed closure of the NASA Wallops Visitor Center (WVC) – a decision that, if enacted, would inflict irreparable harm on the community, the regional economy, and NASA’s public mission. “This closure is not just a bureaucratic reshuffling. It’s a devastating blow, delivered with precision, to a community that has loyally supported NASA for generations,” said one Union member. “The Visitor Center is not a luxury; it’s a vital link between space exploration and the American public, particularly in rural regions like ours where opportunity and visibility are already scarce.” (Full release below)

Keith’s note: ICYMI missed the NASA CLD Directive post the other day NASA Commercial LEO Space Stations Acquisition Strategy you are not alone since NASA is not talking about it either. No mention of this major change is made by @NASA or NASA.gov or here on their CLD page. In a nutshell:

• Upon performing a reassessment, Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD) and CLDP have determined the CLD acquisition strategy must be altered. Instead of moving forward in Phase 2 with a firm fixed price contract for CLD certification and services, NASA will continue to support U.S industry’s design and demonstration of CLDs with multiple funded SAAs for the next phase. NASA will shift the formal design acceptance and certification planning acceptance from this SAA phase to a follow-on certification phase.
• Utilizing SAAs for the next phase better aligns with enabling development of US industry platforms. It provides greater resources for industry to align schedule with NASA’s needs. SAAs also provide more flexibility to deal with possible variations in funding levels without the need of potentially protracted and inefficient contract renegotiations.

Keith’s note: Yesterday Acting NASA Administrator Duffy made a significant announcement about NASA – the use of nuclear power and lunar land claims – but he did not make these accouncements at NASA – but at the Department of Transportation. At one point he said: “There’s a certain part of the Moon that everyone knows is the best. We have ice there – we have sunlight there. We want to get there first and claim that for America.” (video below). No one from NASA seems to have clarified the statement by Duffy that NASA or America intends to “claim” part of the Moon. So it must be part of the plan, right?. But wait: here’s no mention of this announcement at NASA.gov or on @NASA or of this 31 July 2025 Directive 31 Jul 2025 NASA memo from Sean Duffy titled “Directive on Fission Surface Power (FSP) Development” memo. Why is NASA being so shy about all of this? (video and memo below)

Keith’s note: According to a GAO report Audit of Government Property for the Artemis Campaign: “As of February 2025, NASA had allocated over $26 billion in government property to contractors in support of six Artemis programs. Although NASA has policies in place to manage its government property, the Agency can strengthen its oversight by ensuring consistent application of those policies to decrease the risk of unnecessary costs and potential loss, theft, misuse, or destruction of government property.”

Keith’s note: House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Chair Brian Babin and Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Chair Ted Cruz sent a letter to the Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy urging “swift implementation of the nearly $10 billion investment they championed through the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). They requested a detailed spending plan from NASA that aligns with congressional intent and maintains U.S. leadership over China in the escalating space race.” Full letter

Keith’s note: Multiple sources have mentioned ongoing discussion at NASA HQ, NASA Goddard, and NASA Wallops that consider the option of moving toward a Government-Owned, Contractor-Operated (GOCO) model for the future of Wallops.

Keith’s note: according to a 31 July 2025 NASA Directive titled “Directive on Revised Commercial Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Destinations (CLD) Phase 2 Acquisition Strategy“ (see below) says “To ensure mission continuity, affordability, and national alignment, this directive includes accountability measures, transition planning, and performance metrics for industry participation. The CLD Program shall support commercial viability while enabling NASA’s safe and sustainable transition from ISS operations.”

Keith’s Update: below is a copy of a 31 Jul 2025 NASA memo from Sean Duffy titled “Directive on Fission Surface Power (FSP) Development” which says “The FSP project leverages innovation in commercial microreactor technologies specifically referenced in the White House’s 23 May 2025 Executive Order 14299 “Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security”.” Keith’s earlier note: According to Politico: “Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will announce expedited plans this week to build a nuclear reactor on the moon, the first major action by the former Fox News host as the interim NASA administrator.” Not that using nukes on the Moon (or Mars) is a bad idea. Its is a smart one. But wait: check the evaporating program of record: NASA lands on the Moon once – skips all the Gateway stuff, cancels SLS/Orion – and nothing else is on the books. When will the reactor be landed? Will there be Americans on site to turn it on and use it? At the pace that Artemis is becoming a collection of notional TBDs, this is like building a boat shed for the speedboat you want to buy for the summer house on the lake that you have not built yet – and cannot afford to visit anyway.

Keith’s update: This morning AFGE members at Wallops got the same notification that GESTA received regarding GSFC/WFF facilities.  Keith’s note: There is already a plan to more or less abandon half of Goddard’s buildings. Proposals are due by 1 September on the plan to shut down (maybe commercialize) all of the GSFC buildings West of Goddard Road – which includes Bldg 1 (where the cafeteria/exchange is).  Now NASA is closing the place where people eat lunch and putting a halt to the public’s ability to visit GSFC and WFF. This is really starting to get petty, Sean. People are already demoralized. The following NASA Goddard/Wallops message was re-forwarded tonight by GESTA: “Colleagues, GESTA has just received the following notification from management. We believe all GESTA members, and in fact all Goddard employees, union or not, should be aware of this immediately. Original notice from GSFC management is as follows: This is formal notice regarding several upcoming facility closures at Goddard and Wallops effective October 1, 2025. Management has assessed these closures and is providing this notice to support timely and transparent communication. GESTA wants to ensure you are informed of happenings around Center so that you can help assess the impacts of such closure implementations as soon as possible.”:

• Cafeteria (GB/WFF)
• Vending Services (GB)
• Motor Pool Services (GB/WFF)
• Recreation Center (GB)
• Rocket Club (WFF)
• Visitor Center (GB/WFF)
• Dormitory Facilities Bldg F-4

Keith’s note: Cutting NASA Education and then doing a book reading – While the Administration seeks to end all funding for NASA’s education efforts – as if that somehow makes it all better. Who comes up with these ideas? NASA’s tweet: @NASA Tomorrow, Aug. 4, @SLOTUS Usha Vance will join astronaut Suni Williams at @NASAJohnson to read a space-related book to children. Submit questions at http://go.nasa.gov/4mqU0xZ and watch NASA+ starting at ~2:45pm ET to see if your question is selected: http://go.nasa.gov/45iyPqK

Keith’s note: While Russian media continues to post news stories, not a single world from NASA or Sean Duffy. So much for transparency. Or is the Administration up to something that prompts the Russians to say nice things? See “Russia and U.S. Agree to Extend International Space Station Operations to 2028“ in The Moscow Times.

Keith’s note: I was just on CNN International doing live commentary during the launch of Crew 11 to the International Space Station on board a SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon [Audio]. I was on CNN again at 6:40 pm EDT. [Audio]

Keith’s note: I don’t want to freak people out, but there is a question that has been troubling me. A lot of media focus has been on departing NASA civil servants (which sucks) but there may be massive contractor employee layoffs as well (which equally sucks). If things stay on the path that they seem to be on something needs to break soon.

• NASA is acting as if the President’s Budget Recommendation (PBR) for FY 2026 is formal direction with regard to missions, contractor personnel issues. Congress has not finalized a FY 2026 budget yet. But the White House and NASA seemingly do not care. Congress has already complained about this.
• The WARN Act (29 USC Ch. 23 Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act) requires employers to provide 60 days advance written notice of mass layoffs. FY 2025 ends on 30 September and FY 2026 Begins on 1 October. So if these PBR directives are going to be implemented legally, would not WARN notices start to be sent out to employees on 1 August i.e. Friday?
• Let me know if you see or hear anything. Hang in there.
• UPDATE: I have learned that NASA Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility contractors (Peraton) have received WARN letters. 
• UDPATE: Significant contractor cuts (15-20% overall, some groups being eliminated) coming at the NASA Shared Services Center/ WARN letters are going out.
• UPDATE: NASA Goddard WARN notices are arriving with contractor employees – now: “We anticipate that the separations will become effective on October 1, 2025 (or within 14 days thereafter) and are expected to be permanent. This notice is being provided to you following the WARN Act, 29 U.S.C. 2101-2109, as implemented by federal regulations at 20 C.F.R. Part 639. The information set out below is based on the best information currently available to the Company, but may change due to subsequent events.” “This notice, is to inform you that you may be laid off due to these reductions. Based on current information, the Company believes that all job titles and positions at the employment site listed above may be impacted”

Keith’s note: I was just on Bloomberg TV for the SpaceX Crew 11 launch which was scrubbed due to weather. I stayed on and talked about NASA layoffs, budget issues, and Ted Cruz’s support for the International Space Station – and moving the Space Shuttle to Texas. Let’s see what happens tomorrow. [Audio]

Keith’s note: There is a meeting next week regarding Landsat: Sustainable Land Imaging Mission Alternatives Analysis Team Industry. The meeting is looking for the cheapest way to do the least with Landsat as a result of the President’s FY 2026 Budget Request. The PBR seeks to cancel Landsat missions and descope Earth science budgets at NASA. One small problem: NASA is acting as if the PBR is the actual budget contrary to what Congress is doing. Congress has already complained about this as it was described in last month’s NASA Town Hall Meeting. But NASA is going ahead with this anyway. (More below)

Keith’s note: According to this NASA OIG report NASA’s Standing Review Board Practices: “Standing Review Boards (SRB) conduct independent assessments of programs and projects and offer recommendations to improve performance and reduce risk. However, the SRB process lacks Agency-level oversight, improved SRB composition and training can add greater value to the assessments, improvements are needed to ensure adequacy of SRB engagement and accuracy of information provided to decision-makers, and the SRB process does not adequately capture lessons learned.”