Brandon Radzom

4,000 gone: Inside NASA’s brain drain In exclusive interviews, ex-NASA scientists speak out on the impact of the agency's mass departures.

"The secret sauce has been poured down the drain," says David Draper, former Deputy Chief Scientist of NASA, over the recent firing or departure of 1000s of NASA employees, which will be catastrophic for the legacy of the US🇺🇸😖🚀

www.planetary.org/articles/400...

h/t @floragraham.bsky.social 🧪

Congratulations Emma, this is insanely cool!! 🎉

#SpeakOutForScience is an initiative launched by students to empower #ScienceAdvocates. Join @aas.org on 7/1/25 @ 7 PM EST, for a Testimonial Action Day to learn how to craft & record their powerful testimonials for policymakers. Register here: forms.gle/38ZtznWT3fxe...

Cuts have consequences, illustrated. As seen on TV 📺

Here's NASA astrophysics, if I read the president's proposed budget correctly. 🔭

The NASA planetary science fleet chart. It shows two spirals with missions to Moon/Mars and the Solar System. I’ve crossed off all of the missions that will be cancelled in the president’s budget… and there are a lot of them.

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

Advocacy Action Center The Planetary Society is organizing a new space constituency that is educated, empowered, and loud.

We now have a petition anyone around the world can sign to help save NASA science by urging the United States Congress to reject the proposed 47% cut to NASA’s science programs, before the 2026 budget is finalized.

We need 1,000 signatories by June 12, 2025.
Help us save NASA! ✍️
planet.ly/petition

Billions wasted, mysteries unsolved: The missions NASA may be forced… Proposed NASA cuts would cancel dozens of space missions — including spacecraft already paid for, launched, and making discoveries.

Read this:

www.planetary.org/articles/bil...

And then decide what action you'll take to save NASA science by visiting here:

www.planetary.org/save-nasa-sc...

This is insane, and sabotages the future of US science—and it’s so easy to see why…

AI, quantum, etc., all started as niche research 10, 20, 50 years ago. They’re “trendy” science of national importance today because of decades of investments in broad, fundamental research.

(🧵1/3)

Astronomy is in trouble, but you can help! 🔭🧪

I made this video as part of the @aas.org #savescience week of action. Check out their resources on how you can help here

aas.org/advocacy/get...

i think the biggest public relations coup AI boosters scored was calling it “AI.” people genuinely think it is an intelligence, and that when they query it, it is providing reasoned answers

Very exciting - congratulations!!

What I told my students about the threats to evolutionary science I was floored by the question, but it matters. With U.S. funding crashing, what will happen to the future of the field?

From a good friend on another platform:

“I think the reality is academic science is now in its second existential crisis within a decade, and that’s a sign of deep structural problems…one of which is failure to reward things like public-facing communication.”

www.johnhawks.net/p/what-i-tol...

✉️ It's time to speak up for science! Kick off our Week of Action by writing to your members of Congress. Urge them to robustly fund space science in FY 2026 & beyond. Every letter makes a difference! You can use our prompts for inspiration. #WeekOfAction aas.org/advocacy/get...

🧪 Though a doubling of NSF's budget might seem far-fetched, that's exactly what Congress said what's needed to maintain national competitiveness in science & tech.

From the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act of 2022:

The reality is worse than we thought.
The White House proposed the largest single-year cut to NASA in history. We urge Congress to reject this proposal and work on a bipartisan solution for a strong space program that reflects humanity’s potential.
Our statement: www.planetary.org/press-releas...

"In the long term, severe reductions to science funding could damage the economy, according to new research. A report by economists at American University in Washington DC estimates that a 50% reduction in federal science funding would reduce the US gross domestic product by approximately 7.6%."

Science, industry, and advocacy groups unite in opposition to deep… A coalition of leading space industry organizations, scientific societies, and public advocacy groups are submitting a joint letter to Congress opposing…

We, along with a powerful coalition of science, industry, and advocacy groups, released a joint letter today urging congressional leaders to push back against potential cuts to space science. Read the letter and join us in standing up for space science: www.planetary.org/press-releas...

🚨REQUEST FUNDS FROM CONGRESS for NASA, NSF, and DOE Office of Science. Deadline *tonight at midnight*.

Here's a guided video for filling out the form, with a PDF of the slides containing all links, as well as MD fact sheets:
www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/0ms4s...

Share it! @aas.org/@policy.aas.org 🔭🧪

🚨 The President’s Budget Request for FY2026 is rumored to include a 55% cut to the National Science Foundation. Take two minutes today to ask your members of Congress to join a bipartisan letter calling for $10.18 billion in funding for the NSF. aas.org/urge-nsf-sup...

Exclusive: NSF director to resign amid grant terminations, job cuts, and controversy “I have done all I can,” says Sethuraman Panchanathan, a Trump appointee who has led agency since 2020

NSF director to resign amid grant terminations, job cuts, and controversy www.science.org/content/arti...

The Planetary Society warns of dark age for space science under… The Planetary Society, the world’s largest independent space interest organization, issued a statement in response to reports of the White House’s budget…

"Days ago, the Administration’s nominee to lead NASA called for a “new golden age of science and discovery” at the agency. The proposed budget from within the White House — which cuts NASA science by 47% — would plunge NASA into a dark age instead."

www.planetary.org/press-releas...

NASA is something every American can be and should be proud of. And for every dollar spent on it, it returns more on that investment to the economy.
Example: Their 2023 budget was $25B, and they added over $75B to the economy that year.
This is a horrible decision.

Massive cuts to NASA science proposed in early White House budget plan The preliminary version of President Donald Trump’s budget proposal to Congress, known as a “passback,” would cut the agency’s science budget funding nearly in half.

First the rumour was a 20% budget cut. Then, 50%. Now the president's NASA budget is out and it's a 68% cut to astrophysics ($1.5B to $487M).

Even if this gets reversed in four years, we will *never* recover the missions, partners, people who will be gone.

www.washingtonpost.com/science/2025...

Graph of science funding of NASA from 1980 until present with estimated 50% cut included. This drops NASA Science to under $4B. Image source: Casey Dreier/The Planetary Society

Cuts to #science of >50% at NASA and >75% at NOAA would end US climate and space science research.

NASA cuts are '...an "extinction level" event': arstechnica.com/space/2025/0...
"At this funding level, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research is eliminated...": www.science.org/content/arti...

Such an amazing and insightful experience. This work is more important now than ever, and I'm so grateful to the AAS for organizing this program and continuing to be a unified and loud voice for astronomers across the country!

This week 17 scientists took to the Hill as part of AAS' Congressional Visits Day to share the critical role of astronomy in driving innovation and economic growth. From undergrads to early-career researchers, they represent the next generation of leaders who will drive discovery across the country

Opinion | America’s Brightest Minds Will Walk Away (Gift Article) Young researchers are choosing between staying in science and staying in the United States.

Great article on what is happening already to young scientists in the US www.nytimes.com/2025/04/03/o...

We’re planning a party, a star party! ✨💫

Head on over to Yellowwood State Forest on April 5th from 9-11 to take a look at the night sky with astronomical experts! Learn about naked eye observing, astrophotography, and much more!

Fill out our interest form so we can bring enough snacks and drinks!

🚨 Action Alert: Ask your members of congress to support federal science funding! Learn how to submit constituent appropriations requests: aas.org/posts/action...

We welcome anyone interested in taking action to our Q&A/co-working session on Friday at 1:30 pm ET: aas-org.zoom.us/meeting/regi...