NASA Suspends Key Space Science Initiatives in Response to Trump’s Executive Orders: Here’s What You Need to Know

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NASA Suspends Key Space Science Initiatives in Response to Trump’s Executive Orders: Here’s What You Need to Know

NASA has halted activities from key planetary and astrophysics committees following recent executive orders from President Donald Trump. The agency notified leaders of at least ten science groups, which focus on topics like lunar exploration and ocean worlds, including icy moons of Saturn and Jupiter.

In memos sent mainly on January 31, NASA emphasized the need to comply with these new presidential directives. These memos instructed all involved groups to pause their meetings and work immediately. For instance, the Mercury Exploration Assessment Group (MExAG) had to cancel its in-person meeting planned from February 4 to February 6. Carolyn Ernst, the group’s chair from Johns Hopkins University, expressed her disappointment, highlighting that some members were already traveling to the meeting.

The cancellation of the MExAG meeting was particularly disheartening since it was the group’s first in-person gathering. The meeting was expected to draw around 200 scientists, including those involved in the BepiColombo mission, which recently completed a flyby of Mercury on January 8.

Vicky Hamilton, chair of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group, also shared that her committee is postponing their meeting scheduled for April. She noted that updates will be provided once they can resume planning.

NASCAR’s planetary science and astrophysics groups play a significant role in assessing new discoveries and missions. While they provide insights on space science, these groups are not formal advisory bodies under the Federal Advisory Committee Act. Many of them work with the Lunar and Planetary Institute, which is under the Universities Space Research Association.

This pause aligns with Trump administration policies that include efforts to limit diversity, equity, and inclusion programs within federal agencies. There have been cuts to funding for initiatives aimed at connecting underrepresented groups with NASA missions as well.

The changes at NASA also include removing an article about the historic astronaut class of 1978, which featured the agency’s first Black, Asian-American, and female astronauts. This article was taken down shortly after it was still accessible, raising concerns about the agency’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

As these developments unfold, many in the scientific community are anxious about the future of space exploration and the implications of these policy changes.



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