New paper alert! Empirical Evaluation of S-band Radar Polarimetric Response to Surface Rock Abundance across the Lunar Highlands and Maria iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3...

Empirical Evaluation of S-band Radar Polarimetric Response to Surface Rock Abundance across the Lunar Highlands and Maria

Empirical Evaluation of S-band Radar Polarimetric Response to Surface Rock Abundance across the Lunar Highlands and Maria, Rivera-Valentín, Edgard G., Fassett, Caleb I., Virkki, Anne K., Pérez-Cortés, Santa L., Powell, Tyler, Hickson, Dylan C., Nolan, Michael C., Patterson, G. Wesley

iopscience.iop.org

Yep... I seriously don't have words...

NSF Eliminates Geoscience Postdocs - Eos

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has eliminated its postdoctoral fellowship funding for Earth scientists.

eos.org

Looks like the nasa AGs are no more science.nasa.gov/planetary-sc...

Letter from the NASA Planetary Science Director: the Future of the Planetary Science Analysis and Assessment Groups (AGs) - NASA Science

A Letter from the NASA Planetary Science Director, Dr. Louise M. Prockter: the Future of the Planetary Science Analysis and Assessment Groups (AGs)

science.nasa.gov

Here is an interesting perspective on how planetary exploration has historically responded, good and bad, to budget challenges. Written by @cyberlyra.bsky.social whose research is partially about how NASA teams work successfully on missions. #planetsci 🧪 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Weathering budget cuts: Lessons from NASA

The current uncertainty and cuts to science funding affect universities, research facilities, and laboratories across the United States, but this situation is not unprecedented. Under pressure to fund...

science.org

Open position: Scientific Editor for The Planetary Science Journal Note that this is a paid position via a stipend. As a current PSJ editor, I’d be happy to answer questions. aas.org/jobregister/...

#nasa is shuttering the Goddard #space #flight center in a move that may not be entirely legal, according to critics. For months, our #staff #writer @joshdinner.bsky.social interviewed NASA #employees, read #senate reports and more to give you the deepest dive yet. www.space.com/space-explor...

NASA has a proposal to re-commission the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft for the exact purpose. It's healthy, & up for a 2029 mission—total cost $200 Million, $50 Million already spent. President Trump wants to kill it. Here's more on the OSIRIS-APEX mission - osirisrex.arizona.edu/osiris-apex

SpaceNews @spacenewsinc.bsky.social · last yr.

China proposes flyby mission to asteroid Apophis during 2029 Earth encounter Chinese scientists are proposing using a pathfinder spacecraft to make a flyby of asteroid Apophis when it makes a close approach to Earth in 2029.

NASA released some shape models of four of Saturn's moons. These have every lump and bump; they're not simple spheres. Here's a test render I did in #Blender showing #Mimas in false color - red is high, blue low. Clearly shows how non-spherical it is! #sciart #spaceart 1/2

For those who wish to listen to the 10 September #NASA Mars 2020 Rover Perseverance announcement, here's the #YouTube Link www.youtube.com/watch?v=-StZ...

Details of New Perseverance Mars Rover Finding

YouTube video by NASA Video

youtube.com

A federal judge in Boston said she found it "difficult to conclude anything other than that [the Trump administration] used antisemitism as a smokescreen for a targeted, ideologically-motivated assault on this country's premier universities, and did so in a way that runs afoul of [federal law]."

Trump administration illegally froze billions in Harvard funds, judge rules

The ruling is a legal victory for Harvard but the White House says it will appeal the decision.

n.pr

Just reupping this. Idk if we are way behind on positions compared to normal because of *waves hands at everything* or bc I’m not on twitter anymore. I’ve shared it all the same places I normally do.

Sarah Hörst@planetdr.bsky.social · last yr.

I am community sourcing a list of people who are actively in search of MS/PhD students in planetary science/astrobiology/exoplanets for Fall 2026. If you are such a person, please fill out the following google form: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

In order to get a weather forecasting job with the National Weather Service, applicants now have to name at least two Trump Executive Orders and state how they plan to help support them. Which is ridiculous and shame on every MIC that allows that nonsense in their WFO!

NASA’s PDCO Planetary Defenders #PlanetaryScience youtu.be/jOb2DQWvDvc?...

Planetary Defenders (NASA+ Original Documentary)

YouTube video by NASA

youtu.be

This is a shocking executive order that undermines the very idea of open inquiry. It turns federal grants into dispensations, subject to arbitrary and capricious withdrawal should the recipient say or believe the wrong things. www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to improve the process of Federal

whitehouse.gov

New executive order IMPROVING OVERSIGHT OF FEDERAL GRANTMAKING www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to improve the process of Federal

whitehouse.gov

“I was threatened with being referred to the FBI... They also threatened to stain my record so I would never get a job again. They also threatened with an extended detention if I didn’t give them the passwords to the student information or to my district files."

Vermont school superintendent detained after trip to Nicaragua

Wilmer Chavarria, the superintendent of the Winooski School District, was held by U.S. Customs and Border Protection while returning to the country after visiting family.

wmtw.com

NASA is being radically reorganized, starting almost immediately. The Town Hall is here, if you're interested: video.ibm.com/channel/KKpg...

Need data to explain the disastrous proposed cuts to NASA? Here are seven charts that lay out why The White House’s FY2026 budget proposal poses a historic threat to NASA. www.planetary.org/articles/nas...

NASA's disastrous 2026 budget proposal in seven charts

The White House has put forward a radical, wasteful proposal for NASA. We have the data to prove it.

planetary.org

Happy pride month! I worked with some LA-based scientists and engineers, and we have a kickstarter for space pride t-shirts! Consider backing! 🛰️🏳️‍⚧️🚀🏳️‍🌈🪐 www.kickstarter.com/projects/spa...

This is the #RIF that NASA can expect to endure - a reduction from 17,391 to 11,853 - so ... who will the unlucky 5,538 people be? Meanwhile let's gut the #NASA budget while simultaneously starting a crash program to beat China to #Mars - #EmbraceTheChallenge y'all

What is the fastest way to make China Great In Space? Simple: just do this one thing to the #NASA budget. #Slash

Breaking from @science.org: The Trump administration wants to kill off a host of active and healthy NASA climate and planetary spacecraft. It would be a "leaner, more focused" agency, they say -- and one far less capable of studying the Earth and exploring space.

Dozens of active and planned NASA spacecraft killed in Trump budget request

Proposal would end nearly all new major science missions

science.org

GBO, which was trying to build the nextgen radar after the collapse of Arecibo, is on the decommissioning block… again. Sigh.

Graham Doskoch@astrohde.bsky.social · last yr.

NRAO is listed as being hit with a 34.2% cut. Funding to the Green Bank Observatory would be cut by 68.6%, which would be absolutely cataclysmic.

ESA folks finding zeroes for ExoMars, EnVision, Euclid, LISA, Ariel contributions, and so many more in those documents... the damage to international partnerships and trust would be incalculable if this budget proposal comes to pass...

"Gemini telescopes will operate at approximately 50% capacity and access to the telescopes at Kitt Peak and Cerro Tololo will be phased out." p 104 of the pdf.

BREAKING: The president's budget request just hit Congress, which could usher in a dark age for NASA space science. Congress has the final say, but you can help shape the outcome by adding your name to our global petition. This is just the start of our fight. Sign the petition: planet.ly/petition

Wow. This proposes cutting over 1300 civil servants from NASA Goddard, a 46% cut in staff.

Jeff Foust@jfoust.bsky.social · last yr.

Also, the budget proposal would cut NASA's civil service workforce by a third.

Witness the *proposed* devastation of NASA science. If this concerns you, consider exploring the tools provided to make your opinions known: www.planetary.org/save-nasa-sc...

Save NASA Science - Action Hub

NASA science faces record cuts. Take action to stop it—we'll show you how.

planetary.org

Alexandra Witze@alexwitze.bsky.social · last yr.

We have NASA's proposed budget for FY26, and it is brutal to science. Earth science would be cut by more than half. Astrophysics (like JWST, Hubble) by nearly two-thirds. Full details at www.nasa.gov/fy-2026-budg...

The NASA planetary science fleet chart if the president’s budget is enacted.

🤯 This table is devastating but so important. Government funded science supports everyone from kids, to college students, to researchers.

Rita Parai@ritaparai.bsky.social · last yr.

I need to actually get to my gate in time, but am stuck processing this particular table: