Space Stories: NASA Kills Student Program, NASA Science Groups Stalled, and Moon Mission Untouched So Far

Here are some recent stories of interest related to changes at NASA.

—Science: “DEI Order Grounds NASA Program to Link Undergraduates with Mission Scientists“

At NASA, officials are moving quickly to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order directing agencies to cease funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. NASA has already informed researchers supported by one high-profile program for undergraduate students that several of the agency’s spacecraft contractors will no longer take part in the program, following the agency’s guidance. And NASA has warned the researchers that it is likely to kill grants that have already been awarded.

—Space News: “NASA Pauses Work of Science Groups, Citing Trump Executive Orders“

NASA has directed a set of science committees to pause their work, citing recent Trump administration executive orders, a move that canceled one meeting and put planning for others on hold. NASA Headquarters sent memos Jan. 31 to the leaders of several committees, known as “analysis groups” or “assessment groups,” that provide input to the agency’s astrophysics and planetary science divisions. The memo said NASA needed to determine if the groups’ activities complied with new executive orders.

—Orlando Sentinel: “Despite DEI Demise, NASA Still Touts Goal to Land 1st Woman, 1st Person of Color on Moon“

NASA continues to highlight goals of landing the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface even amid the agency’s recent shutdown of diversity, equity and inclusion programs — also known as DEI — under executive orders from President Trump. “With NASA’s Artemis campaign, we are exploring the moon for scientific discovery, technology advancement, and to learn how to live and work on another world as we prepare for human missions to Mars,” reads the Artemis mission statement on NASA’s website. “We will collaborate with commercial and international partners and establish the first long-term presence on the moon. NASA will land the first woman, first person of color, and first international partner astronaut on the moon using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before.” The announcement NASA would send the first woman to the moon came under Trump’s first presidency.