Thank you to everyone who tuned in for this week’s NASA agency town hall. More than 32,000 of you participated through townhall.nasa.gov, and this number does not include those who gathered in various auditoriums and conference rooms to watch the event together. A special thanks goes out to our Office of the Chief Information Officer for implementing key measures that ensured our online presence remained uninterrupted from start to finish.
In his note, Keith shared the audio from the town hall event. It’s important to note that while the topic of Reduction in Force (RIF) was a frequent point of inquiry, Janet Petro did not make any mention of it in the sanitized version of the event. Instead, the discussion focused on “voluntary workforce shaping,” a term that encompasses the options available to employees during this transition.
During the town hall, we covered a range of significant topics. I want to reiterate a few key points: reorganizations are a process that will take time, and I expect to finalize the top-level structure shortly while engaging our stakeholders. Initially, this structure will extend only to the center level, with further developments occurring over time. I ask for your patience as this reshaping effort unfolds, as it will take some time before we fully understand the impact on individuals.
We are committed to becoming the most efficient and effective organization possible, aligned with our mission and the resources we anticipate. To facilitate this, we are offering a limited window for voluntary workforce shaping tools aimed at avoiding involuntary separations. For civil servants, the opt-in period for the Deferred Resignation Program (DRP), Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA), and Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP) is open until July 25. We do not plan to offer these programs again, and with our budget trending downward, these voluntary options provide an opportunity for those who wish to take it.
The President’s FY 2026 Budget Request for NASA is currently under review by Congress. As we await further developments, it is crucial that we prepare to align our workforce and resources with the mission priorities outlined in the budget. I understand that many of you face deeply personal decisions in the coming weeks, and I want to acknowledge that these feelings are valid. I encourage you to utilize your support system and make the best choices for yourselves, even when faced with incomplete information.
Despite the challenges, our mission continues, and I am consistently impressed by what our team accomplishes. Here are some recent highlights:
NASA and Roscosmos have agreed to lower the pressure in the transfer tunnel of the International Space Station’s Zvezda service module, paving the way for Axiom Mission 4. This mission, launched early Wednesday, features former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson alongside astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary, showcasing the strength of our international partnerships. The System-Wide Safety project is collaborating with aviation safety company ResilienX to integrate NASA-developed risk assessment tools into their commercial systems, benefiting partners like the U.S. Air Force and enhancing future airspace safety. At the Kennedy Space Center, fueling operations for the Orion spacecraft for Artemis II are ongoing, with astronauts participating in launch-day scenario exercises to ensure readiness for their lunar mission. Technicians have installed critical instruments on our IMAP spacecraft, which aims to monitor space weather and map the heliosphere, providing near-real-time data essential for understanding particle behavior in space. The TechLeap Prize has selected teams from industry and academia to tackle key challenges in the Space Technology Payload Challenge, focusing on solutions for producing consumables from Martian regolith and in-space biomanufacturing systems. Nasa’s Office of Communications received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Live News Special, recognizing our broadcast coverage of the 2024 total solar eclipse—a testament to the talent and coordination that made it possible.I have requested that officials implement a “quiet week” for civil servants starting Monday, June 30. While mission-critical work will continue, I encourage teams to reduce the number of meetings where feasible, provided it does not disrupt operational priorities. If you are considering taking leave during this time, please coordinate with your supervisor.
Thank you for all that you do, and have a wonderful weekend. Embrace the challenge,
Janet
NASA Watch founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.
