The office situated on the ambiguous corner of the federal government, where NASA relies on to safely land astronauts on the moon, is facing pressure to cut at least 20% of the close team of experts for Mars’ robotic probes, according to two individuals familiar with the directive.
Staff reductions have reportedly already commenced at the Astro Geography Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona, with more employees expected to be terminated following a recent call for early retirement and resignations on April 4th. The office, which is part of the US Geological Survey under the Department of the Home Office, is the target of cost-cutting efforts initiated in January with a substantial email sent to the federal government by Musk’s team.
Representatives from the Department of Home Affairs, USGS, and the Astro Geography Center did not respond to requests for comment regarding the staff reductions or potential impacts.
The cuts could potentially impact the mission of sending a crew to Mars in the future, a significant objective for Musk, who is the founder of SpaceX. He envisions a company that can make human life multiplanetary.
Matthew Golombek, a geophysicist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has been involved in selecting multiple probe landing sites on Mars and described the precise mapping at the Astro Geographic Science Center as the “gold standard used by essentially everyone in the community.”
At the beginning of this year, the office had 53 employees, with eight already set to depart and more encouraged to consider the latest offers.
Dr. Golombek emphasized the importance of the center’s experts for mapping excellence and site selection for almost every landing. He expressed concern about losing the highly experienced and knowledgeable executives from the center.
The repercussions of reducing the team of interplanetary mapmakers in the office are significant, as Jared Isaacman, the NASA-backed presidential candidate under President Trump, proposed a “parallel” effort to send astronauts to Mars during a Senate committee meeting.
One researcher at the Flagstaff Office voiced concerns that amid shifting budget priorities, personnel cuts could be detrimental to mapping and critical projects in planetary science, crucial for human exploration.
“I can’t fathom randomly cutting 40% of the remaining staff without canceling the entire project,” the researcher stated.
The researchers added that even the departure of just five workers could significantly impact the office, depending on seniority and field of expertise.
Two employees, who requested anonymity to protect their government careers, were aware of the recent call for volunteers for the “deferred resignation/retirement program” at a recent staff meeting. Essential layoffs known in the federal government if insufficient employees volunteer.
The field of astronomy is interdisciplinary, with experts in terrestrial fields like mineralogy, volcanology, and geography that are valuable for space exploration. The USGS Astrogeology Center, though part of an internal division, closely collaborates with NASA and is largely funded by the agency.
For decades, the Center’s experts have been pivotal in creating detailed topographic maps of various celestial bodies, strategic planning, and scientific goals for NASA missions.
The scientist also provided lunar geology crash courses to Apollo astronauts like Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong, which enhanced their knowledge of rock sample collection. This training has been revived for NASA’s Artemis program, aiming to return astronauts to the moon’s surface in 2027.
Office geology experts played a crucial role in finding new landing sites for historic Viking Mars landers after the original site was deemed unsafe in 1976. In 2021, a rover safely landed on Mars and was guided autonomously using maps and software from the Center.
Companies in the commercial space sector also rely on the expertise of the Astro Geographic Science Center.
“SpaceX has consulted the USGS in the past, and the USGS team was enthusiastic,” said David SF Portree, a former archivist and public relations manager at the Astrology Science Center, a semi-self-historist and science writer in Arizona.
SpaceX did not respond to requests for comments regarding their work at the Astrogeology Center or the impact on their Mars program.
Mr. Porterie expressed concerns about the long-term effects of NASA’s 50-year plan for the crew’s mission to Mars and the executive order for a government-wide employment freeze, which affected student contractors at the office.
Dr. Edwards from Northern Arizona raised concerns about the mass recruitment of probationary workers, stating that it could lead to the dismissal of subject experts.
He emphasized the importance of maintaining experienced staff to ensure the continuity of specialized expertise in the field.
“That’s concerning to me,” he added.
Source: www.nytimes.com
