NASA Union Says Space Agency's New Administrator Is a Straight-Up Liar

"In a November 10 letter addressed to Sean Duffy, who served as NASA's interim administrator at the time, representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) noted that her staff had received "disturbing reports that NASA is directing the imminent closure of laboratories and facilities hosting mission-critical capabilities" at the GSFC. Of particular concern is the campus' main library, which was unceremoniously shut down last month, as the New York Times reported on December 31."

"NASA insiders cried foul following the library's closure, warning that critical and still-undigitized materials could be thrown out in what they said were reckless efforts by the Trump administration. NASA's new administrator, Jared Isaacman, who was confirmed by the Senate on December 17, was angered by the NYT's framing, accusing the newspaper of not fully reflecting the "context NASA shared." He argued that "at no point is NASA 'tossing out' important scientific or historical materials.""

"That's despite later admitting that "some materials with no historical or technical value may not be retained" following a "deliberate review" over a period of 60 days. NASA press secretary Bethany Stevens chimed in as well, describing the moves at Goddard as a "consolidation, not a closure." Isaacman's comments have seemingly done little to reassure rattled NASA staffers. In a January 7 response spotted by Astronomy"

During the government shutdown in November, the administration accelerated plans to shutter over a dozen buildings and around 100 laboratories at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Lawmakers and staff raised alarm after closures proceeded without consultation, with Representative Zoe Lofgren reporting "disturbing reports" of imminent shutdowns of laboratories and mission-critical facilities. The campus main library was closed, prompting insiders to warn that critical, still-undigitized materials could be discarded. Administrator Jared Isaacman and NASA press secretary Bethany Stevens defended the actions as not discarding important materials and described them as consolidation, while admitting some nonhistorical items may not be retained after a 60-day review. Staffers and unions remain unconvinced by those reassurances.

Read at Futurism