14D ago
HOT
12 sources
The piece reports directives in 2025 from acting NASA leadership and the Office of Management and Budget to cut headcount, with more than 4,000 employees leaving by January 9, 2026. It says priorities are shifting away from science and STEM education, closing traditional hiring pipelines and draining veteran expertise.
— A mass downsizing at NASA would alter U.S. scientific leadership and mission delivery, turning state capacity and science governance into an urgent policy issue.
Sources: Thousands of NASA employees to bid farewell to the NASA they knew, NASA Unit JPL To Lay Off About 550 Workers, Citing Restructure, The Navy kept chasing a 100% solution to the point where they ended up with 0% of the ship being delivered (+9 more)
17D ago
3 sources
A new analysis presented at the International Astronautical Congress finds that removing the 50 highest‑risk objects in low‑Earth orbit—mostly old rocket upper stages—would cut the debris‑generation potential by about 50% (and the top 10 by 30%). Most culprits are pre‑2000 rocket bodies, while recent upper‑stage abandonments (especially from China’s megaconstellation launches) are accelerating the problem.
— It reframes space‑debris mitigation from an overwhelming cleanup to a targeted, enforceable priority list, sharpening pressure for norms, enforcement, and dual‑use RPO oversight.
Sources: Removing 50 Objects from Orbit Would Cut Danger From Space Junk in Half, “We’re Too Close to the Debris”, How Many Years Left Until the Hubble Space Telescope Reenters Earth's Atmosphere?
17D ago
1 sources
Hubble’s accelerating orbital decay (current altitude ~326 miles) makes an imminent policy decision unavoidable: either fund a technically difficult reboost (and accept the cost and operational risk) or plan for a controlled deorbit and manage reentry/debris and scientific succession. The uncertainty is driven by variable solar flux and by the absence of an announced NASA reboost mission, even as private projects (Eric Schmidt’s Lazuli) promise replacement capability.
— This forces public discussion about state capacity to maintain long‑lived scientific infrastructure, liability and debris management for large spacecraft, and how private flagship missions should (or should not) substitute for government stewardship.
Sources: How Many Years Left Until the Hubble Space Telescope Reenters Earth's Atmosphere?