In scathing letter, NASA workers rebuke 'rapid and wasteful changes' at agency

[mahatmakanejeeves]

In scathing letter, NASA workers rebuke ‘rapid and wasteful changes’ at agency

CNN
July 21, 2025, 8:48 AM

(CNN) — A group of 287 scientists and current and former NASA employees has issued a declaration lambasting budget cuts, grant cancellations and a “culture of organizational silence” that they say could pose a risk to astronauts’ safety.

The document — titled “The Voyager Declaration” and dedicated to astronauts who lost their lives in tragic spaceflight incidents of the past — is addressed to acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, a staunch Trump loyalist who abruptly replaced Janet Petro, a longtime NASA employee, in the agency’s top role on July 9. The letter has 156 anonymous signatories and 131 public signatures — including at least 55 current employees.

“Major programmatic shifts at NASA must be implemented strategically so that risks are managed carefully,” states the letter to Duffy, a former member of Congress, prosecutor and reality TV personality who also currently serves as Transportation secretary. “Instead, the last six months have seen rapid and wasteful changes which have undermined our mission and caused catastrophic impacts on NASA’s workforce.”

The letter raises concerns about suggested changes to NASA’s Technical Authority, a system of safety checks and balances at the agency.

Established in the wake of the 2003 Columbia shuttle disaster that killed seven astronauts, the Technical Authority aims to ensure mission safety by allowing NASA employees at all levels of the agency to voice safety concerns to leaders outside their direct chain of command.

{snip}

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

1. MTV taught Duffy everything he knows