Good morning, and welcome back. This is your weekly NASA update, and we're starting with something that's got the agency in real turmoil right now. NASA just resumed normal operations after a government shutdown, but behind the scenes, whistleblowers are sounding serious alarms about safety concerns stemming from aggressive budget cuts and organizational changes happening across the agency.

Here's what's going on. Since June, NASA has been implementing the President's proposed budget request ahead of any formal appropriations, creating what one whistleblower called a culture of fear. Employees are reportedly being told to keep their heads down, and safety concerns are being discouraged because people worry about retaliation. One insider warned they're very concerned about potentially seeing an astronaut death within a few years due to what they described as a chainsaw approach to the agency. Senate Democrats have already proposed legislation to prevent this kind of unilateral implementation, arguing it could end up being the destruction of NASA's core mission.

On the funding side, NASA is operating under a continuing resolution that keeps spending at fiscal year 2024 levels, but there's real uncertainty ahead about what full year appropriations will look like. The White House initially proposed cutting the Science Mission Directorate by up to fifty percent, though Congress has been protective of these programs.

The personnel changes are also significant. NASA has already closed three offices, including the Office of Chief Scientist and the agency's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion branch. These moves came as part of the Trump administration's workforce optimization directive, and reductions in force policies are being modified as well.

But it's not all strained budget talks and restructuring. NASA did mark some wins this month. Three Chinese astronauts who were stranded in space after debris hit their return capsule have safely returned. And on a brighter note, astronaut Chris Williams launched to the International Space Station on Thanksgiving Day alongside two Russian cosmonauts for an eight month mission, showing that international partnerships in space continue despite earthly tensions.

For skywatchers, November delivered too. The Leonid meteor shower peaked mid month, and Saturn's rings temporarily disappeared from view as the planet's orientation changed, creating an optical illusion that won't happen again for years.

As we head into December, the big question is what Congress will do with NASA's budget. Will they protect the science missions, or will deep cuts go through? That answer will shape what NASA can accomplish over the next several years. For now, the agency is focused on maintaining baseline operations while navigating this uncertain political landscape.

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