This Week In Space Episode 185 features investigative reporter Josh Dinner outlining alleged budget and staffing actions at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center that critics say have furloughed staff, closed labs and weakened climate science capabilities during a government shutdown. The hosts also discuss Jared Isaacman’s renomination for NASA administrator, the ISS 25th anniversary, and new U.S.–China cooperation to avoid orbital collisions. A Democratic staff report accuses the administration of improperly imposing proposed budget cuts at NASA, raising concerns about safety, missions and scientific research.
This Week In Space — Episode 185: “Gutting Goddard” — Investigation into Cuts at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
This Week In Space Episode 185 features investigative reporter Josh Dinner outlining alleged budget and staffing actions at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center that critics say have furloughed staff, closed labs and weakened climate science capabilities during a government shutdown. The hosts also discuss Jared Isaacman’s renomination for NASA administrator, the ISS 25th anniversary, and new U.S.–China cooperation to avoid orbital collisions. A Democratic staff report accuses the administration of improperly imposing proposed budget cuts at NASA, raising concerns about safety, missions and scientific research.
08:30, 09.11.2025Science
Episode Overview
On Episode 185 of This Week In Space, hosts Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik welcome investigative reporter Josh Dinner to discuss a months-long investigation into dramatic staffing and budget changes at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. The episode examines claims that recent actions — including furloughs, forced retirements, laboratory closures and equipment removals during a government shutdown — have severely diminished Goddard’s capacity, particularly for climate research.
Key Findings from the Investigation
Dinner describes how a combination of proposed budget cuts, management decisions and the government shutdown have disrupted critical programs at Goddard. According to the reporting discussed on the show, employees have been furloughed or pushed into retirement, some laboratories have been closed temporarily or shut down, and certain facilities and projects have been scaled back — steps that critics say were taken without full congressional approval or oversight. Dinner warns that prolonged actions like these could leave the center much reduced and impair work on climate science and other core missions.
Other Headlines Covered
The episode also covers several major space news items:
- Jared Isaacman was renominated for NASA administrator in a surprising political reversal.
- The International Space Station marked its 25th anniversary, prompting discussions about the station’s future and successor platforms as it approaches retirement around 2030.
- U.S.–China cooperation on orbital safety was highlighted after Beijing reached out to NASA to help avert a potential satellite collision — described as a first-of-its-kind operational contact on that issue.
- An Apollo-era radio telescope in North Carolina, once used to track Soviet satellites, is now listed for sale.
- NASA’s new Mars mission will deploy twin satellites designed to study how Mars lost its atmosphere.
Policy, Law and Internal NASA Changes
The hosts discuss a new Democratic staff report alleging direct evidence that the administration has been implementing proposed budget reductions at NASA since early summer, which the report says may have been done improperly and could endanger safety, mission integrity and scientific research. The episode also addresses internal shifts at the agency: acting administrator Sean Duffy has stated the agency will prioritize lunar and Mars exploration, and there are reports about eliminating the chief scientist position — moves that have alarmed many staff and lawmakers.
"NASA is under attack," — a sentiment expressed by agency employees, union officials (including GESTA IFPTE Local 29), and some members of Congress in response to layoffs and cuts discussed on the show.
Community and Listener Notes
The episode closes with community-focused items, including guides and recommendations for hobbyists and space enthusiasts — from beginner telescopes to scale model rockets — and reminders about where to find the show. Listeners are directed to subscribe to This Week In Space for weekly episodes and ad-free access via club memberships.
How to Listen
Download or subscribe to the show on your preferred podcast platform or visit the show page. (Links and subscription instructions are provided during the episode.)