How NASA’s Goddard Downsizing Could Ripple To Florida’s Kennedy Space Center

Overview

Concerns are growing that consolidation and building closures at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, could affect partner operations in Florida — including the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) on the Space Coast. The Goddard Engineers, Scientists and Technicians Association (GESTA) has warned that rapid closures risk disrupting ongoing missions, while NASA says the work is part of a long-planned campus modernization.

What’s Happening At Goddard

Goddard, established in 1959 and named for rocket pioneer Robert H. Goddard, is a key hub for mission development and operations. It has managed iconic projects such as the Hubble Space Telescope and played a central role in development of the James Webb Space Telescope. Teams at Goddard are also completing the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which NASA says remains on schedule for launch by May 2027 and could potentially launch as early as fall 2026.

According to a Nov. 14 brief from GESTA — which represents about 1,700 of Goddard’s scientific staff — roughly 13 buildings containing about 100 laboratories are slated for closure or consolidation by a March 2026 deadline. Some employees reported during the federal government shutdown in October that specialized equipment and other items were removed or discarded, raising alarms about premature dismantling of facilities.

"The unplanned and hasty nature of the action is poised to result in the loss of millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded laboratory facilities, including sophisticated and high-value equipment that will be difficult, if not impossible, to replace," GESTA said in its brief.

NASA’s Position

NASA officials maintain that the closures and consolidations are part of a multi-year plan to modernize the Goddard campus, achieve cost savings, and replace aging infrastructure. The agency has publicly stated these actions are not expected to delay active missions and that the work aligns with plans developed over several years.

Potential Impact On Florida And KSC

The GESTA document lists more than two dozen government, academic and private partners whose work could be affected. That list includes other NASA centers such as Kennedy Space Center in Florida. While the specific nature and scale of impacts on KSC remain unclear, several missions managed or developed at Goddard would launch from Florida sites — including Artemis missions that are scheduled to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A.

Congressional Scrutiny And Oversight

Concern from lawmakers has increased. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, demanded on Nov. 10 that NASA pause the closures and initially gave the agency 24 hours to halt actions. Maryland’s full Democratic delegation sent a letter on Nov. 13 seeking answers as well.

Rep. Lofgren followed up with letters on Nov. 21 and Dec. 2 indicating she plans to request an investigation by NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG). As of Dec. 3, an OIG spokeswoman declined to comment to reporters. NASA’s media office had also not returned a voicemail from the USA TODAY Network by that date.

What To Watch Next

• Whether NASA pauses or slows consolidations while oversight reviews occur.
• Detailed listings from Goddard or NASA clarifying which buildings and labs will close and how equipment will be handled.
• Potential effects on timelines for multi-billion-dollar missions that rely on Goddard-managed development and testing.

For now, union leaders and some staff say the speed and coordination of closures threaten valuable laboratory space and unique equipment. NASA insists the effort is a long-term modernization effort rather than a mission-driven disruption.

Reporting note: This reporting draws on statements from GESTA, letters from congressional offices, and agency comments reported through the USA TODAY Network and Florida Today. Eric Lagatta of the USA TODAY Network contributed reporting.