National Aeronautics and Space Administration  - NASA News

• NASA Whistleblowers Warn of Astronaut Fatality Risk from FY26 Budget Cuts

  Hey listeners, welcome to your weekly dive into NASA's world. The biggest headline this week: NASA whistleblowers are sounding the alarm on safety risks from early implementation of the President's FY26 budget cuts, with one warning they're very concerned we'll see an astronaut death within a few years due to this chainsaw approach, according to a new Democratic staff report from the Senate Commerce Committee.These cuts, pushed since June by NASA Chief of Staff Brian Hughes and OMB directives, have created a culture of fear where employees are told to keep their heads down and prioritize the President's budget request over everything else. NASA's operating under a flat FY25 budget via continuing resolutions, but the push to gut programs like SLS and Orion for commercial alternatives is shaking things up. On the science front, the 2025-2026 NASA Science Plan emphasizes balanced programs guided by National Academies decadal surveys, innovative partnerships, and priorities from Congress and the Administration.This hits American citizens hard—delayed missions could mean fewer breakthroughs in Earth science, space weather predictions vital for power grids, and Artemis astronaut safety. Businesses face uncertainty with contracts like the University of Alabama's Lunar Freezer System or Blue Origin's ESCAPADE Mars mission reopening for media. States and locals tied to NASA centers worry about jobs amid furlough threats from shutdowns.Internationally, it's mixed: Artemis Accords meetings advance Moon and Mars cooperation, while Soyuz arrivals expand ISS crew to 10, including Chris Williams.Exciting sky news from NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab: Catch Comet 3I/ATLAS at its closest on December 19th, Geminids peaking soon, and Moon-Jupiter conjunction December 7th. Astronaut Jonny Kim recaps his eight-month ISS mission December 19th at 3:30 p.m. EST.Joe Westlake, NASA's heliophysics director, says of recent Parker Probe solar wind insights: These breathtaking images expand what we know about our star and space weather for Artemis safety.Impacts? Everyday folks get inspired by free skywatching, but budget squeezes could slow public benefits like better weather forecasts. Businesses hustle for commercial low-Earth orbit transitions by April 2025 under the NASA Transition Authorization Act.Watch Jonny Kim's briefing, ESCAPADE launch, and Sentinel-6B for sea level data. Head to science.nasa.gov for sky tips and missions. Tune in those evenings—grab binoculars!Thanks for tuning in, listeners—subscribe for more. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

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• NASA Ramps Up Science Missions as Rare Comets Approach, Shaping Space Weather and Future Funding

  NASA is back online after a turbulent government shutdown, and the biggest headline this week is that missions are ramping up again just as two rare visitors from deep space, interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS and comet 2025 R2 SWAN, move into prime view, giving scientists and the public a front‑row seat to historic observations, according to NASA’s Science Mission Directorate and Jet Propulsion Laboratory.NASA reports that the Psyche spacecraft, currently about 260 million miles from Earth, has used its multispectral imager to precisely track interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, while Hubble has just revisited the same comet with its Wide Field Camera 3 to study its faint coma and nucleus. At the same time, NASA’s new PUNCH mission has been tracking comet 2025 R2 SWAN over several weeks, tying comet science directly to how the solar wind flows from the Sun. These campaigns are giving scientists fresh data on how material from other star systems behaves, and how comets interact with the space environment that also affects satellites, power grids, and communications here on Earth.Behind the scenes, the story is just as dramatic. The Planetary Society explains that NASA has been operating under flat, continuing‑resolution funding, even as the White House pushed agencies to plan for deep cuts, delays in grant awards, and possible mission shutoffs. Congress is now working through NASA’s 2026 budget with bipartisan moves to shield key science missions, and the Senate’s version currently offers the strongest protections. That funding fight will determine whether future missions like Psyche’s extended science, Hubble operations, and new small missions like PUNCH can continue to deliver.For American citizens, this week’s developments mean more than pretty space pictures. The same physics that PUNCH and SWAN are probing helps improve models that feed into space‑weather forecasts, which protect GPS, aviation, and the power grid. For businesses, especially satellite operators and emerging commercial space stations, stable NASA funding and clear plans coming out of the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2025 shape everything from launch contracts to research partnerships in low Earth orbit. State and local governments benefit when NASA grants and collaborations with universities resume at full speed, supporting jobs and STEM pipelines. Internationally, joint efforts like the SOHO mission with the European Space Agency and shared comet campaigns bolster U.S. leadership and cooperation in space science at a time of heightened global competition.According to NASA and SpacePolicyOnline, the key dates to watch over the next few weeks include congressional markups of the NASA budget, space policy hearings, and new observation windows for comet 3I/ATLAS as it moves to the far side of the Sun and then reappears for follow‑up measurements. Listeners who want to engage can contact their members of Congress about supporting robust NASA science funding, follow mission updates on NASA’s official website and social channels, and participate in citizen‑science projects that use real mission data.Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss the latest from NASA and beyond. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

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• NASA This Week: Interstellar Comet, Budget Battles, and Safety Concerns

  # NASA This Week: Interstellar Comet, Budget Battles, and Safety ConcernsHello listeners, welcome back to your weekly NASA briefing. This week, the space agency finds itself at a crossroads as it prepares for a rare cosmic encounter while navigating unprecedented internal challenges. Let's dive into what's happening at America's space agency.Our top story comes from the cosmos. On December nineteenth, just over two weeks away, the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS will make its closest approach to Earth in what astronomers are calling a once in a lifetime cosmic encounter. Now, don't worry about a collision. The comet will pass at approximately one hundred seventy million miles away, roughly twice the distance between Earth and the Sun. But this is significant because it represents only the third interstellar object ever discovered. NASA held a press conference on November nineteenth, sharing new data from multiple telescopes including Hubble, James Webb, and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Scientists are particularly interested in studying the comet's jets to determine whether they're produced by natural sublimation or potentially something more exotic. Listeners will need a decent telescope to observe it, and astronomers worldwide are monitoring for any accompanying fragments.But here's where things get serious. Behind the scenes at NASA, whistleblowers are raising alarm bells about safety and organizational stability. According to Democratic staff reports, the Trump administration has been implementing the President's proposed budget cuts since June twenty twenty-five, creating what insiders describe as a culture of fear. One whistleblower expressed grave concerns, stating they're very concerned that we're going to see an astronaut death within a few years. NASA employees report being told to keep their heads down, with fears of retaliation if they raise safety issues. The agency has already closed three offices including the Office of Chief Scientist and has eliminated diversity and inclusion branches.The financial picture is equally troubling. There are rumors circulating that the White House may seek to cut NASA's Science Mission Directorate budget by up to fifty percent. This comes as Congress debates the NASA Transition Authorization Act of twenty twenty-five, which proposes authorizing approximately twenty five point five billion dollars for the agency's fiscal year operations.For listeners who care about space exploration and scientific discovery, this moment matters. These budget cuts and organizational changes could impact everything from climate monitoring satellites to fundamental research about our universe. If you're concerned about NASA's direction, contacting your representatives in Congress is crucial. They're actively debating these funding levels through the end of the year.Stay tuned for updates on the comet's approach and any announcements about NASA's budget resolution. Thank you for tuning in to NASA This Week. Make sure to subscribe for updates on space exploration and policy developments. This has been a Quiet Please production. For more, check out quietplease dot ai.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

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• NASA Turmoil: Whistleblowers Sound Safety Alarms Amidst Budget Cuts and Restructuring

  Good morning, and welcome back. This is your weekly NASA update, and we're starting with something that's got the agency in real turmoil right now. NASA just resumed normal operations after a government shutdown, but behind the scenes, whistleblowers are sounding serious alarms about safety concerns stemming from aggressive budget cuts and organizational changes happening across the agency.Here's what's going on. Since June, NASA has been implementing the President's proposed budget request ahead of any formal appropriations, creating what one whistleblower called a culture of fear. Employees are reportedly being told to keep their heads down, and safety concerns are being discouraged because people worry about retaliation. One insider warned they're very concerned about potentially seeing an astronaut death within a few years due to what they described as a chainsaw approach to the agency. Senate Democrats have already proposed legislation to prevent this kind of unilateral implementation, arguing it could end up being the destruction of NASA's core mission.On the funding side, NASA is operating under a continuing resolution that keeps spending at fiscal year 2024 levels, but there's real uncertainty ahead about what full year appropriations will look like. The White House initially proposed cutting the Science Mission Directorate by up to fifty percent, though Congress has been protective of these programs.The personnel changes are also significant. NASA has already closed three offices, including the Office of Chief Scientist and the agency's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion branch. These moves came as part of the Trump administration's workforce optimization directive, and reductions in force policies are being modified as well.But it's not all strained budget talks and restructuring. NASA did mark some wins this month. Three Chinese astronauts who were stranded in space after debris hit their return capsule have safely returned. And on a brighter note, astronaut Chris Williams launched to the International Space Station on Thanksgiving Day alongside two Russian cosmonauts for an eight month mission, showing that international partnerships in space continue despite earthly tensions.For skywatchers, November delivered too. The Leonid meteor shower peaked mid month, and Saturn's rings temporarily disappeared from view as the planet's orientation changed, creating an optical illusion that won't happen again for years.As we head into December, the big question is what Congress will do with NASA's budget. Will they protect the science missions, or will deep cuts go through? That answer will shape what NASA can accomplish over the next several years. For now, the agency is focused on maintaining baseline operations while navigating this uncertain political landscape.Thank you so much for tuning in. Make sure to subscribe for next week's update. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

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• Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Captivates Scientists Amid NASA Budget Uncertainty

  In breaking news this week, NASA has released stunning new images and data on the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS after a weeks-long delay caused by the recent government shutdown. Nicky Fox, Associate Administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, described the comet as “something that existed before our own solar system—that is so cool. It’s from something that predates even our own star.” Discovered in July by NASA’s ATLAS telescope in Chile, 3I/ATLAS made its closest approach at about 130 million miles from the Sun and is only the third interstellar object ever recorded. The event captivated scientists and the public alike, with NASA’s Amit Kshatriya remarking, “What I took away from that whole experience...was just how interested and how excited people were about the possibility of what this comet could be.”NASA teams, using everything from the Hubble and Webb Space Telescopes to planetary rovers, have coordinated an ambitious observation campaign. The observations will continue as the comet traverses our solar system, passing near Jupiter by spring 2026. According to NASA’s Acting Planetary Defense Officer Kelly Fast, more interstellar object discoveries are expected as the Near-Earth Object Surveyor mission comes online, thanks to advances in ground-based detection technology.Behind the scenes, however, policy changes and budget uncertainty are putting stress on the agency. According to a recent staff report to Congress, NASA leadership has been rushing to implement the President’s proposed FY26 budget cuts—even before those cuts were approved—causing institutional shifts and creating, in the words of whistleblowers, “a culture of fear.” NASA has already seen real-world impacts: grant awards dropped by 80 percent this year, and there are concerns among staff about public safety with one whistleblower warning, “We’re very concerned that we’re going to see an astronaut death within a few years” due to cuts and demoralization.Congress did pass a Continuing Resolution in March, keeping NASA funded at last year’s levels for now, but hopes for restored funding hinge on pending Senate and House budget bills. The Senate version offers the strongest near-term protection for missions and research, which is critical for keeping programs like planetary defense and commercial space partnerships moving forward.These leadership and budget decisions matter far beyond NASA. For American citizens, NASA’s discoveries inform planetary safety and inspire STEM learning. Businesses are watching closely, particularly as NASA transitions to commercial partnerships for low-Earth orbit and deep space, as authorized in the NASA Transition Authorization Act. State and local governments, especially those near NASA centers, face economic ripple effects. Globally, these developments shape U.S. leadership in science and international collaboration—both with allied partners and through joint missions.Listeners interested in seeing 3I/ATLAS for themselves can follow NASA’s live trackers and social media channels. The comet will be observable in various wavelengths as it nears Jupiter in 2026. NASA has also promised more public events and educational materials on upcoming missions. For those concerned about agency funding, now is the time to reach out to your representatives—public input could sway final budget outcomes, keeping America at the forefront of space exploration for generations to come.Thank you for tuning in and don’t forget to subscribe. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai.For more http://www.quietplease.aiGet the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

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