NASA Tells Workers to Pause Replies to DOGE Email Demands

As the space community braces for a potential shake-up at NASA, the agency has issued a directive to its employees to pause replies to email demands from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This move comes amidst an aggressive push by the Trump administration and DOGE to downsize the federal workforce, with thousands of employees across various agencies facing dismissal.

NASA's acting chief, Janet Petro, acknowledged in a Friday afternoon email to staff that recent executive orders and directives, including sweeping changes to federal hiring practices and guidance to abandon projects that promote diversity, are "weighing on many of you." In response, Petro encouraged workers to seek support and asked them to take inspiration from the spirit of DOGE to "lean into this new opportunity to maximize efficiencies."

The email also outlined specific changes implemented in recent days, such as NASA disabling a feature that allowed employees to add pronouns to their email display names, a return-to-office mandate, and sweeping offers for buyouts and a deferred resignation program. These changes have been met with concern from NASA employees, who view them as a distraction from the agency's primary goals.

Sources familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity, called many of the changes and shifting information a "distraction" from NASA's primary goals. One source noted that scrubbing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) references — in internal and external communications — is a massive undertaking, given that inclusion was made a core value at NASA under the previous Trump administration.

The effort to land the first woman and person of color on the moon with NASA's Artemis III mission, slated for mid-2027, began and was advertised extensively during President Donald Trump's first term. The mission's progress could be disrupted if NASA continues to downsize its workforce and scrub DEIA references, as it relies on a diverse and skilled workforce to succeed.

Concerns have also been raised about Elon Musk's conflict of interest, as the CEO of SpaceX holds billions of dollars' worth of contracts with the government and NASA specifically. US Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California and US Rep. Valerie Foushee of North Carolina penned a letter to Petro expressing their concern about the risk Musk and DOGE pose to NASA, citing the "vast conflicts-of-interest" and the potential for unauthorized access to NASA's secure systems and proprietary data.

NASA's decision to embrace DOGE and downsize its workforce could have significant consequences for ongoing collaborative projects with SpaceX, including the Artemis III mission. The potential consequences include disruption of the mission, impact on other collaborative projects, potential security and proprietary data concerns, and reputation damage.

This directive could also influence the broader space community's perception of NASA's independence and decision-making processes. The conflict of interest, lack of transparency, perception of political influence, and impact on NASA's reputation could erode trust in the agency's independence and decision-making processes.

In conclusion, NASA's directive to pause replies to DOGE email demands suggests a level of resistance or caution within the agency regarding the influence of Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This pause indicates that NASA is reassessing its relationship with SpaceX and Musk, potentially signaling a shift in power dynamics. By not immediately responding to DOGE's demands, NASA is asserting its independence and may be seeking to protect its interests and maintain its autonomy. This action could strain the relationship between NASA and SpaceX, as well as Musk's influence over the agency.