Public sentiment regarding the NASA shutdown is overwhelmingly negative, with widespread frustration tied to concerns over transparency, trust issues with the government, and fears about the implications for future space exploration. Many express the belief that important information, especially concerning critical celestial events, is being withheld, and there is a profound disappointment in the government's priorities regarding scientific funding and operations.

NASA

U.S. Government

Political Parties

JPL is not currently in shutdown. It's a bit of an odd situation but JPL employees are technically Caltech employees and paid differently. An extended shutdown might affect non-critical operations but that isn't the case currently. Rover is operated by JPL, communications are operated by JPL, why are you calling the camera crappy 😭

Also, not all of NASA-proper is shutdown. They have certain projects they've deemed important enough to keep going, like Artemis

ymerizoip

I don’t have a definitive answer, but here are some thoughts:

JPL is run by contractors working for Cal Tech.  When the government shuts down, JPL keeps going, at least for a while.  The deep space network that communicates with all (most?) NASA’s spacecraft that aren’t Earth orbiters, is run by JPL.  Rover ops is run by JPL.

Acrobatic_Ad_8120

JPL isn’t a federal agency it’s managed by Caltech under a NASA contract. During a shutdown, mission critical spacecraft ops continue (DSN passes, rover health &amp; safety, MRO relay, etc.).

The difference you’re seeing is about what’s essential vs. non essential:
• Rover “raw” engineering frames auto flow through an existing pipeline, so you’ll still see those.
• HiRISE (on MRO) is run by the Univ. of Arizona team and requires people to plan targets and do heavy processing &amp; public release. That work is typically paused, even while the orbiter itself keeps flying and relaying data.

So: spacecraft keep operating; public image targeting/processing/release can be paused. That’s why you’re seeing rover raws but not fresh HiRISE posts.

Cool-Swordfish-8226

some parts of NASA are deemed essential and keep operating, some are working part-time, some are not working at all. The entire government doesn't actually shut down during a shutdown. Some agencies are affected far more than others.

Unfair-Category-9116

Simple answer: functions of who runs what are complicated and nuanced.

daneato

Acronyms, initialisms, abbreviations, contractions, and other phrases which expand to something larger, that I've seen in this thread:

|Fewer Letters|More Letters|
|-------|---------|---|
|[APOD](/r/NASA/comments/1ny3m2t/stub/nhu9e2u "Last usage")|NASA's Astronomy Picture Of the Day|
|[DSN](/r/NASA/comments/1ny3m2t/stub/nhxva55 "Last usage")|Deep Space Network|
|[HLS](/r/NASA/comments/1ny3m2t/stub/nhyikwj "Last usage")|[Human Landing System](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemis_program#Human_Landing_System) (Artemis)|
|[JPL](/r/NASA/comments/1ny3m2t/stub/nhw0pyq "Last usage")|Jet Propulsion Lab, Pasadena, California|
|[MRO](/r/NASA/comments/1ny3m2t/stub/nhw0pyq "Last usage")|Mars Reconnaisance Orbiter|
| |Maintenance, Repair and/or Overhaul|
|[SLS](/r/NASA/comments/1ny3m2t/stub/nhyikwj "Last usage")|Space Launch System heavy-lift|

Decronym is now also available on Lemmy! Requests for support and new installations should be directed to the Contact address below.

----------------
^(6 acronyms in this thread; )[^(the most compressed thread commented on today)](/r/NASA/comments/1nythzv)^( has 8 acronyms.)  
^([Thread #2106 for this sub, first seen 5th Oct 2025, 04:44]) 
^[[FAQ]](http://decronym.xyz/) [^([Full list])](http://decronym.xyz/acronyms/NASA) [^[Contact]](https://hachyderm.io/@Two9A) [^([Source code])](https://gistdotgithubdotcom/Two9A/1d976f9b7441694162c8)

Decronym

Shutdown is a construct. If we were really shut down, *everything* would be shut down. Chuck Todd has excellent commentary about this.

jthanreddit

Some contractors are being paid by credit card  and some projects prepaid  contractors to keep going as long as they can. 

TraditionalTrade5547

I'm sad they won't let APOD update during the shutdown, even though MTU does most of the updates and the web server crons would run automatically.
https://apod.nasa.gov/

Nanook_o_North

It's going to be a nightmare if NASA gets shut down. End of sentence.

thedeeb56

Keeping spacecraft alive and healthy by operating them....is considered essential and is ongoing.   

The pipelines of data that dump uncalibrated raw rover imagery on line are still just chugging along unattended.

  
Preparing images and text for a press release and issuing one on the results of the HiRISE images of 3I/ATLAS....is not essential.  You're not going to see that be done until after the government reopens.

djellison

Strange how this sub tends to shy away from actual NASA News. 

NASA furloughs 83% of its workforce starting Monday.

NASA furloughs 83% of its federal workforce, more than 15,000 workers, during government shutdown

[https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/space/article/nasa-furlough-government-shutdown-21080738.php](https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/space/article/nasa-furlough-government-shutdown-21080738.php)

Educational_Snow7092

It needs to be shutdown. Those of us in earth could really used the money.

PersimmonThink5784

[Please review our wiki page](https://www.reddit.com/r/nasajobs/wiki/workingatnasa) for answers to many frequently asked questions about working at NASA. 

**If you are not a US citizen please review the portion of the wiki that deals with [working for NASA as a non-citizen](https://www.reddit.com/r/nasajobs/wiki/workingatnasa#wiki_citizenship.%2Fresidency).**

*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/NASAJobs) if you have any questions or concerns.*

AutoModerator

With my experience as a NASA contractor, we were still able to continue working and getting paid as normal and a lot of times had to hold down the fort while the federal employees were furloughed. 

From discussions with our COR, they always tried to fund contracts enough so they will last through any potential furlough.  This became an issue during that really long furlough as some contracts came close to exhausting their funds and those contractors either had to take PTO or unpaid leave.

Astro_Afro1886

Technically - If there is funding on the contract, you can keep working. Once that funding runs out, you stop working.  Contractors are not allowed to work at risk unless it’s an emergency, it’s a violation of the anti deficiency act.  

That’s all dependent on the federal facility being open in a shutdown.  If the building is “closed” then contractors don’t work.  

Some offices also don’t allow contractors in space unless a Gov personnel is present (which defeats the purpose of security clearances).

Rumpelteazer45

Completely dependent upon your specific contract and how much, if any forward funding it has.  Talk your management.  There's no accurate blanket answer.

If you do get furloughed, you almost certainly will not get back pay, unlike the CS employees.

AirborneSysadmin

Are you an on-site support service contractor? Will assume yes (as opposed to someone working at Boeing at a Boeing facility).


There is no perfect guaranteed answer. What I have experienced and observed as a contractor and as a CS, is that contractors are barred from the facility and are on unpaid furlough. Generally they have been made whole eventually, but this is not written into law like it is for CS. In some cases contracting firms with enough residual funding and other office space off-site have been able to maintain some operations with pay.


Certain Artemis activities are likely to be "excepted" i.e. required to continue work during a shutdown. That determination is ongoing but you won't hear anything until the shutdown is almost begun.


If it feels like nobody is talking about it that's just how these go. Usually there is a last minute resolution, and even when there isn't, NASA likes to say that it is illegal to plan ahead for a smooth shutdown.

Appropriate_Bar_3113

As a contractor working the same program, for my particular situation, we are currently funded through the end of October. In general, it’s highly likely that work on Artemis will be excepted on the CS side, so no change in my status unless the contract funding dries up. Not sure what work your contract is providing for Artemis but if there were to be layoffs of any substantial amount of your contract’s personnel, they would likely have to provide at least 30 day notices to affected employees. We had a contract all hands yesterday and this got talked. Also, since I co-locate with NASA onsite, I can tell you that at the directorate level for my org, they are already dusting off the shutdown paperwork, as the division chief and his deputy were scrambling yesterday afternoon to make sure plans are in place.

Comprehensive_Ad2477

We are in new territory. Who knows what is going to happen. Politics has never been this bad for NASA

clearlygd

If your program is already funded for the year, then you will most likely continue working as is. If it is not funded, then you are out of luck.

CompleteToe1133

You go on PTO.  If you dont have any/enough PTO, you go on LWOP.  Thats how it usually works, depending on what company you work fir and thevterms of your contract.

RunExisting4050

Use of Upvotes and Downvotes is heavily encouraged. Ridicule is not allowed. Help keep this subreddit awesome by hitting the report button on any violations you see and a moderator will address it. Thank you and welcome to [UFOB](http://www.nicap.org/directives/AFR%20200-2,%20Aug%2012,%201954.pdf). 

*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/UFOB) if you have any questions or concerns.*

Unless this rock is going to usher in a civil war in the states they don’t give a fuck. Hope this helps.

What3v3s

They’re an intelligence agency now. If they’re being silenced, it’s likely due to something else, like the government shutdown.

Tryin2Dev

Perhaps, but we can always just rely on The Vatican’s Observatories until NASA is operational again. 

consciousanchoress

No. Our government isn't capable to think that far in advance

Uoysnwonod

NASA has been completely controlled by the security apparatus of US military intelligence since pretty much day one. JFK tried to reverse a lot of this but after he was taken off of the board all of that pretty much fell apart.

heebiejeebie9000

I think it's the same as every other agency. They are trying to purge environmentalists, people who worked on or believe in climate change, and people who they consider their ideological or political enemies.

South-Tip-7961

Govt shutdown. NASA is likely furloughed.

averagemaleuser86

Nah, this comet is the last thing on most people's minds. The US government is having an issue with where it wants it's money going, this is around the time to make budget decisions so it turns out to be around the time shutdowns occur when there is a disagreement. 


Just coincided with this comet is all. 


All it means is that we won't get those gorgeous photos of this comet, which sucks, I would have loved to see this Interstellar beauty in more detail. 

Sayk3rr

Never consider conspiracy where stupidity or incompetence are an easier option.

grind_monkee23

It isn't a coincidence you don't pay attention to the news or believe the GOP has no past history whatsoever like their activists do on social media. Were you born yesterday? This isn't the first shut down, you want to say this one is because of aliens then you prove every other one was also about aliens or some conspiracy you're into that is related to aliens or alien news.

Fair-Emphasis6343

You have to understand that while people here are *sure* it’s some alien ship… the reality is that NASA knows it’s a comet and so it really isn’t of interest to anyone outside the space sector. The government doesn’t care about a chunk of rock in space that isn’t a threat to earth.

Three-Sixteen-M7-7

They're an intelligence agency, now. Am I wrong? I thought I saw that the other day.

dingess_kahn

I think the honest answer is, I don’t know. The people who would know are the people doing the analysis, maybe there is a timeframe that needs to happen before they say much. Similar with past comets.

punkyatari

Jackfish2800

I’m saying the same shit. Cut funding just as shits about to hit the fan.

midlifevibes

I find it amusing and slightly incredible that somehow your govt "runs out of money" almost every year. I've never heard of that happening to any other country

Kidtwist73

Nasa is a spy agency, please consider that either way. Our goverment might not think that deep, but their Zionist, world bank, fake religion leaders actually control what happens. They have been scheming for a long long time.

TechinicalDitch

I would be more worried about China's complete silence Frfr

RevolutionaryCut420

100 fucking percent.  There's no way NASA doesn't see these things flying around and their probes haven't found interesting artifacts\\ structures on other planets or moons.   It's pretty obvious that they have a routine policy of scrubbing, editing, and outright faking images they release to the public.  They are very careful about what they release and make sure to wipe anything from the photos that online sleuths may find in the photos that could be an indication of ancient civilizations on other planets.

Ryukyo

TerrificTJ

"The Johnson Space Center [employed nearly 3,000 full-time-equivalent](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/final-fy23-nasa-ecomomic-impact-report.pdf) federal workers in Texas during fiscal year 2023 (though this number has likely dropped [following buyouts earlier this year](https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/space/article/nasa-workforce-buyouts-20789864.php))."

And those doing mission critical work are not furloughed (ISS, Artemis, etc)   
This is a good number of JSC employees who will still come to work every day and not get a paycheck.

ecogrrl

"A shutdown falls on the president's lack of leadership. I mean problems start from the top and they have to get solved from the top. A shut down means the president is weak".  
*— Donald Trump, CBS “Face The Nation” Interview (2013)*

LHR-Daniels

It's OK, they said we never been to the moon anyway 🤦🏿‍♂️

Gman2000watts

This is all about the Republicans wanting to kill The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)

longshot1951

persephonepeete

I literally posted here a few days ago stating that they are planning on gutting NASA and y'all just couldn't believe it

SirOakin

For what it’s worth, a great number of people are furloughed/on call, but actually working excepted tasks on Artemis.

AtomicBreweries

Thank You Maxi Water .🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

Upper-Experience4497

15,000 people working on what??  They haven't been to the moon and Elon has done more space launches than NASA in... forever.   Save the tax payers some money and make space travel private!

SnooDingos8194

Holy shlit, NASA has that many employees?

RetroGaming4

The threat to NASA's longstanding role as the world's preeminent space agency is very real. It's not too late to make your voice heard. The Planetary Society has many resources available to achieve this: https://www.planetary.org/save-nasa-science

dkozinn

I’m offering some context to those who may not be aware. NASA civil servants are not allowed, by law, to publicly advocate for NASA funding. I am involved with a NASA mission which means that I also cannot, by law, advocate for funding for that mission (it may get scrapped because of the budget cuts, but I can’t publicly say anything good or bad about how I feel about that). By the same token, NASA leadership legally cannot lambast against NASA’s budget situation. Congress decides NASA’s budget, and NASA leadership has to figure out how to move forward given those constraints. If you want advocacy for NASA, that happens through advocacy groups like the Planetary Society or through private citizens. Civil servants and scientists/engineers involved in missions cannot and will not do that advocacy

EDIT: to clarify, I mean that NASA leadership can’t publicly bash the president and his policies during an official broadcast. I didn’t mean they can’t talk to their elected representatives as a constituent, or participate in protected political speech while off the clock

Radical_Coyote

My DRP was signed today, at least I got that. Retire 30 Sept after 44 1/2 years.

Flaky_Two1872

This is truly devastating...

  
I've worked so hard all my life to get the right degree and right experience to hopefully one day be a part of NASA. That was the dream, that was the drive. With this kind of news about the future of the agency, am I alone in feeling that everything was for nothing? Are there others who feel the same? Just curious.

Space_Cadet9654

thankfully James Webb got completed and installed.  What an amazing accomplishment.

calcteacher

I managed to be shocked when multiple people on stage went out of their way to justify the upcoming cuts as being needed to reduce the national debt, while every one of us knows that this administration and congress are not acting to reduce the debt. They could have just not said that… but insulting our intelligence is a priority for some reason?

Die_Puns_Die

This is about privatization of space, full stop. What was once a unifying sense of exploration and advancement of science is now just another way for the ultra-wealthy to control that much more of our science and benefits of space capitalism.  

Yes, the USA is broke and tens of trillions in debt.  To allegedly solve this the conservative government chooses to destroy the commons and our scientific prowess, all in the name of short-term gain for a few billionaires who already have enough money to last them for centuries.

GreenEnergyGuy_

I made several notes during the townhall. I also recorded *most* of it (missed the first 10 minutes).  No, I won't share it (but [someone else did](https://nasawatch.com/ask-the-administrator/audio-from-todays-nasa-town-hall/)!).  That said, I made a transcript and some quotes are below, with my own comments and feelings. 

* At one point Brian Hughes (Chief of Staff) said "we will flatten our organization, refocus on the way we do business, and streamline the way we work" 
  *  me: This kind of comment angers me, and maybe unfairly but still:   NASA -- nor indeed any of the federal government -- is not a business.  I'll copy/paste from another comment I made elsewhere:  "NASA is not a money making enterprise. It's role is to benefit humanity in general by increasing our understanding of the universe and the planet we live on. Commercial entities will never fill the voids left when people with vital knowledge and experience leave NASA"  
* Vanessa Wyche ( acting associate administrator ) said "We are expanding our understanding of the universe, the solar system, and our home planet".  And "NASA will continue to lead, inspire and reach new frontiers.".    
  *  me:  Well, we *were* doing that.  Kinda hard to do with a 50% science cut, and wow, guess what, many Earth/climate science missions will be cut.  NASA will be ceding our leadership in space and science to other nations (the EU and China, mainly).
* Casey Swails (deputy administrator) said in response to a question about whether any other DRPs will be offered.  She said, no, that *this* DRP will be the *only* DRP.  She also said they aren't *currently* planning any RIFs, so she can't provide any info.   Also said to be mindful about people's privacy and not to ask them what they are thinking about DRPs (note:  this will come up again later!)
  * me: RIFs are inevitable if not-enough people take the DRP.  There was a later question about how many people have taken the DRPs (there have been two offered -- one earlier this year, and the "current" one) -- and the answer was 1500 people, if I understood correctly.
* Janet Petro says she will have a reorg plan in the next few weeks (before July 26 deadline for DRP). 
* Regarding a new Administrator:  Brian said he has no idea but speculated 6-9 months
  * me:  BTW, he *laughed* when he said he couldn't predict it.  I'm so glad he finds our uncertain future so amusing!  Maybe he was just uncomfortable and/or trying to lighten the mood, idk.
* Q: Will internships continue?  
  *  Casey said inspiring our future workforce is important.  "You know, we are going to need a pipeline, you know, regardless, as we go forward to meet NASA's mission of today and NASA's mission of tomorrow."
  *  me:  I have no idea how we're going to inspire people after laying off half our workforce, and trying to cut funding for *the entire Department of Education*.  Will the NASA STEM engagement office even be a thing next year?  I think we already have seen that science and education are the antithesis to this Administration.  So, who are you going to attract then?  "The Trumper Youth"?
* Q: Will any Centers be closed?
  * Brian basically said (IMO) it's a possibility based on the future reorganization and where the work is physically done after that reorg, but here's a quote for that section:  

   &gt; Obviously, if we are looking at at fiscal constraints and really assessing some changes to organizational structure, it could very well mean that there's some realignment of where things are done. So to the specific question, will they be closed or consolidated? I don't think we're there yet to answer that question, but it is actively a part of the conversation we're having as we go step by step through this.
* Q: "What is leadership doing about the 50% cut to science?  Are you advocating to Congress for better funding?"  
  * Janet :  "we are a part of the executive branch and we support the president's budget."
* Q: "What is the agency's plan to ensure knowledge transfer from employees?"
  * Casey:  "First off, we're, we're asking our officials in charge, you know, we're holding them accountable to really be aware of the work in their organization, be aware of folks that are departing, but also as individuals know that you have a responsibility, particularly as you sign up for the DRP, you know, to make sure that you're being thoughtful around kind of transferring that knowledge." and don't just go on "annual leave until my, you know, official, you know, departure date"
  * me: Wait, but earlier you said your DRP decision is private!!!  I know we have people in our workforce that love their job and don't want to leave their coworkers stranded, or their Offices without guidance, but at the same time --  If I was a civil servant, I'd be spending my time looking for another job, NOT trying to do a brain dump to someone that might not even be there next year.
  * Vanessa:  "So we are allowing for timing and for us to extend the windows if we need to, for individuals, the time that they have to be on their admin leave, so we can make sure that we're capturing their critical skills and critical data."
* Q: "with all the uncertainty, what's your plan to build trust and retain top talent during this."
  * Janet ( I think) basically said what you'd expect :  she's here for us and wants to be transparent, and share knowledge as soon as she has it.
  * me: IMO she didn't really answer the question
*  Janet also said "The NASA brand is really strong still"
  * I'm really not sure that's true any more.  At least, not internally.  We all love our jobs and want to continue doing what we consider valuable work, but we are scared, angry, and too many other adjectives to list.  I can only guess what the world thinks of us now, or what they will think in the future.

teridon

I'm not a US citizen, but NASA's achievements have been a backdrop to my life, fostering a deep love of space exploration. The Voyager mission in particular was an almost ever-present source of wonder throughout my early years. I'm looking up at my model of Voyager hanging from my ceiling right now.

Breaks my heart to see NASA being gutted by imbeciles. Good luck, I sincerely hope sanity prevails.

Valisk_61

Was anyone else just screaming at that row of buffoons throughout the entire all hands?

Feefza_Hut

This does look extremely bleak, unfortunately. There are now a bunch of idiots in charge that can't tell the difference between a shuttle and a booster. They'll never understand the importance of the work that goes on at NASA until a country like China or Russia excels ahead of them. Even then, they'll restart missions and issue more funding out of ego and not for the benefit of science.

Thank you to everyone that has contributed to make NASA into what it is today. Your legacy will always live on and outshine the incompetency that is our current presidency.

Carbon-Base

[deleted]

NASA was killed, it didnt die on its own.

HenryDeanGreatSage

What was truly disgusting was just how many times those "leaders" repeatedly tried to push US to leave/retire, all while showing Zuckerberg levels of empathy

PinkNinjaElephants

As a canadian its so sad watching american instituitons being hollowed out

China_bot42069

The American empire was over in the Bush jr administration, these are just the death rattles

Dapper-Tomatillo-875

Anon_Matt

If you're visiting here perhaps for the first time from /r/all, welcome to /r/nasa! Please take a moment to [read our welcome post](https://www.reddit.com/r/nasa/comments/l43hoq/welcome_to_rnasa_please_read_this_post_for/) before posting, and we hope you'll stick around for a while.

r-nasa-mods

Thank god James Webb was finished when it was

Technical-Agency-403

I’m seriously going to miss you all. Thanks for all these years.

wassona

The comments about the NASA budget in the context of the federal deficit and debt crisis was a big slap in the face to the entire workforce. The NASA budget is less than 0.5% of the federal budget ($25B out of $6.75T from FY24). 

And yet, NASA, unlike any other federal agency has an economic impact of $75B annually (3X return on investment) [source](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/final-fy23-nasa-ecomomic-impact-report.pdf). 

Not to mention the proposed budget for FY26 increases the deficit while simultaneously kneecapping the public services that provide substantial economic benefits to the country.

ptypehuman

So many thing in every day life were invented because of NASA, Thanks to King Cheeto, this is coming to a sad end

Nervous-Can-6515

If there's one thing that people should be protesting on the streets for, it should be to save science and funding for research agencies. People are protesting all the time about issues on the other side of the planet that don't even affect them directly..But this is the stuff that needs to be fought for! 
A nation that doesn't prioritize their intellectual capital will not remain a stable nation for long. The USA would not be where it is without NASA. It is depressing to see such an important organization being gutted and beaten up. This is far worse than any war. This is like the death of a civilization.

OliverKadett63

Authoritarian regimes fear scientists, because science demands evidence, not obedience.

BarnyardBonkers

Walking down the halls, witnessing staff gazing at their monitors in exhaustive states, the town hall audio echoed throughout, with little substantive updates to provide, no reprieve to instill, and no hope to inspire. In this moment, we need a Mockingjay. These events are meant to control, not to inform. Do not forego your expertise they so fear, your curiosity to explore, learn, and dream they so envy, or your compassion to support and fortitude to fight they so resent. Do not be afraid. Take care of yourselves, my friends; keep daring mighty things; boldly go, and boldly speak; and most of all, be kind, never give up, and always trust your cape.

Janet Petro is definitely a Trump stooge, that's the only reason they've kept her this long and aren't pushing harder for their own appointee. I wouldn't expect any pushback to Trump from NASA leadership, unfortunately.

Saturn_V42

Science is fact, proof, without science everybody would be a simpleton.... simpletons are easier to control with pseudoscience and blatent lies..... stop the science, gain a thick public!!

Troggfather

It’s sad that the administration is deleting America from the world of science, facts, and honor.

IkilledRichieWhelan

Someone please ask Janet Petro how it feels to be the last NASA administrator

PCVox27

I mean, you’re not totally wrong but at the same time they have no legal ability to disregard the president’s budget. This is where Congress needs to step up and pass a budget for the agency.  This passion needs to be redirected at your Representatives to act.

SpaceRangerOps

The bombs we dropped on Iran that didnt destroy their targets costs an estimated $400M, that's just for the bombs. 

Cool... cool cool

NeighborhoodDude84

I think its obvious that as part of the deal with Elon (who elected him through machine manipulation as shown in Pennsylvania and other swing states) that Trump is working to switch all space exploration and all near earth space activities (satellites, etc) into the hands of private space contractors (Space X, Blue Origin). The USA will no longer have a functional space program that will ensure national defense, research and development, etc. China will now take the lead in space exploration and leave the USA behind. MMW. We can thank Trump and MAGA for destroying our nation's most admired and most productive national agency.

voidscreamer1

It is regrettable, but it is undoubtedly the worse mistake of Trump administration, to fall so far behind in science and space research for the future generations.

EasternChocolate69

Well, as I've  said elsewhere, it's deeply sad and worrisome, but if the  US wants to cede its place in the world as one of the prominent leaders of scientific research and development other countries will step in to fill the void. The same can be said for all the other ways in which the US is choosing to self implode.

eulersidentity1

I won’t let nasa go gently into that good night

Stonner22

Acronyms, initialisms, abbreviations, contractions, and other phrases which expand to something larger, that I've seen in this thread:

|Fewer Letters|More Letters|
|-------|---------|---|
|[CNSA](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/mzsq8zd "Last usage")|Chinese National Space Administration|
|CST|(Boeing) Crew Space Transportation capsules|
| |Central Standard Time (UTC-6)|
|[DARPA](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/mzwrtqt "Last usage")|(Defense) Advanced Research Projects Agency, DoD|
|[DoD](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/n0h0a0t "Last usage")|US Department of Defense|
|[ELT](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/mzt3ast "Last usage")|Extremely Large Telescope, under construction in Chile|
|[ESA](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/n1gtwsx "Last usage")|European Space Agency|
|[FAA](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/n0858qz "Last usage")|Federal Aviation Administration|
|[FAR](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/n01yzcq "Last usage")|[Federal Aviation Regulations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Aviation_Regulations)|
|[FRR](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/mzyzu27 "Last usage")|Flight Readiness Review|
|[GSFC](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/mzx2gk2 "Last usage")|Goddard Space Flight Center, Maryland|
|[HLS](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/mzxbd53 "Last usage")|[Human Landing System](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemis_program#Human_Landing_System) (Artemis)|
|[HST](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/mzr551n "Last usage")|Hubble Space Telescope|
|[ISRO](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/n0dxe04 "Last usage")|Indian Space Research Organisation|
|[ITS](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/mzuvukq "Last usage")|Interplanetary Transport System (2016 oversized edition) (see MCT)|
| |[Integrated Truss Structure](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_Truss_Structure)|
|[JAXA](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/n0dxe04 "Last usage")|Japan Aerospace eXploration Agency|
|[JPL](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/mzzif5f "Last usage")|Jet Propulsion Lab, Pasadena, California|
|[JSC](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/n0uxrji "Last usage")|Johnson Space Center, Houston|
|[JWST](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/n00y9zz "Last usage")|James Webb infra-red Space Telescope|
|[KSC](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/n0bus8e "Last usage")|Kennedy Space Center, Florida|
|[KSP](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/mzr3vv2 "Last usage")|*Kerbal Space Program*, the rocketry simulator|
|[LEO](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/mzwawbf "Last usage")|Low Earth Orbit (180-2000km)|
| |Law Enforcement Officer (most often mentioned during transport operations)|
|MCT|Mars Colonial Transporter (see ITS)|
|[NG](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/mzx8uje "Last usage")|New Glenn, two/three-stage orbital vehicle by Blue Origin|
| |Natural Gas (as opposed to pure methane)|
| |Northrop Grumman, aerospace manufacturer|
|[NOAA](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/n05z62m "Last usage")|National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, responsible for US ~~generation~~ monitoring of the climate|
|[NSF](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/n05z62m "Last usage")|[NasaSpaceFlight forum](http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com)|
| |National Science Foundation|
|[Roscosmos](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/mzu62ko "Last usage")|[State Corporation for Space Activities, Russia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roscosmos_State_Corporation)|
|[SF](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/mzvic6p "Last usage")|Static fire|
|[SLS](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/n00hptw "Last usage")|Space Launch System heavy-lift|
|[SSME](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/mzww3al "Last usage")|[Space Shuttle Main Engine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_main_engine)|
|[STS](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/mzzctyn "Last usage")|Space Transportation System (*Shuttle*)|
|[USSF](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/mzy067a "Last usage")|United States Space Force|

|Jargon|Definition|
|-------|---------|---|
|[Starliner](/r/NASA/comments/1lkdwf8/stub/mzvtcvz "Last usage")|Boeing commercial crew capsule [CST-100](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_CST-100_Starliner)|

Decronym is now also available on Lemmy! Requests for support and new installations should be directed to the Contact address below.

----------------
^(30 acronyms in this thread; )[^(the most compressed thread commented on today)](/r/NASA/comments/0)^( has  acronyms.)  
^([Thread #2023 for this sub, first seen 25th Jun 2025, 19:45]) 
^[[FAQ]](http://decronym.xyz/) [^([Full list])](http://decronym.xyz/acronyms/NASA) [^[Contact]](https://hachyderm.io/@Two9A) [^([Source code])](https://gistdotgithubdotcom/Two9A/1d976f9b7441694162c8)

AndrewTheGoat22

And make sure we increase that military budget though

Hugh-Jorgin

We are probably not gonna get submarines and helicopters in Titan and Europa anymore...

hans611

Just joined the planetary society to support.

baesilx

During the first Trump administration, our team and all projects were disbanded because we were related to climate change for the most part (since the late 70's, with some military and other things sprinkled in). We were a tight group and got things done that affected earth science in a significant way by monitoring it and reporting raw data, and we were efficient. We knew our stuff, and went around the world doing our thing.

I was one of the first ones to go after 17+ years, and the rest followed afterwards. I am not surprised by this, by any means.

Ridcully

Be aware, Europe will welcome pretty much any scientific refugee from Nasa. Healthcare, real good schools, paid vacation. Most aerospace companies use English for communications.

AmbitiousFinger6359

Why is a premier national space R&amp;D agency NOT worth a national investment in focused science applications?

Student-type

they certainly got their priorities straight.  we could've had an extra ISS crew rotation for the cost of bombing Iran (based on some quick duckduckgo-ing)

CT-1065

The cuts to science aren’t yet a done deal even if leaders are acting like they are. Congress can still stop them. And [we can push them to do so by writing letters or calling](https://www.aps.org/initiatives/advocate-amplify/policy/support-federal-science-funding-budget)

FlowersBloomUntil

I wonder how many people here voted for tRump or stayed home.

Responsible-Split-87

NASA has suspended most operations due to a government shutdown, jeopardizing various space missions and leading to furloughs for thousands of employees.

NASA Shutdown Impacts

Why This Matters

Public Sentiment Summary

Highlighted Comments

Parties Involved

What the people want