NASA to end support for planetary science groups

WASHINGTON — NASA is ending financial support for several planetary science groups as part of a broader drawdown of the agency’s advisory structure.

In a Jan. 16 letter, Louise Prockter, director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division (PSD), informed the leaders of eight organizations known as assessment or analysis groups — collectively called AGs — that the agency will end funding for them by the end of April.

“Several recent changes in the NASA landscape, however, make continuing the current support and operations model infeasible,” Prockter wrote, citing executive orders, the elimination of other advisory committees and a “highly constrained” planetary science budget.

She said NASA considered several options for continuing support. “Unfortunately, despite the recognized value of the AGs, PSD can no longer formally support the AGs,” she wrote.

The AGs focus on specific topics in planetary science, ranging from the moon to the outer solar system. The groups typically meet one or more times a year to discuss missions, research and related issues, providing input to NASA. Many also conduct studies at the agency’s request.

“SBAG facilitates and mediates the relationship between the small bodies and planetary defense science and technology communities; identifies, collects, and represents the priorities of these communities; and acts as a bridge between the small bodies community and NASA,” the Small Bodies Assessment Group says on its website. The group met last week.

Speaking at a Jan. 20 meeting of the National Academies’ Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Science, Prockter said NASA is not abolishing the AGs. “We are simply not able to support them for a number of reasons,” she said, referring to her letter.

The groups may continue operating without NASA funding. “Several of the AGs have let us know they do intend to continue. They will self-organize,” she said. “They might look a little bit different. Maybe they’ll change their names. But they do intend to continue.”

She added that NASA might be able to provide some “small support” for the AGs that do continue, such as covering travel for students attending AG meetings.

NASA’s decision to end its current level of support for the AGs is not surprising. Shortly after the start of the second Trump administration a year ago, NASA instructed the AGs to halt their activities “to review and ensure compliance with presidential actions.” That caused several of the groups to cancel or postpone meetings.

NASA later allowed the AGs to resume activities in the spring, but many in the planetary science community anticipated that support could eventually be reduced or eliminated.

The move is part of a broader effort by NASA and other federal agencies to reduce the number of advisory committees. The AGs previously provided findings to the Planetary Science Advisory Committee, which NASA abolished last year along with advisory committees in astrophysics, Earth science and heliophysics.

NASA said it would replace those committees with a single science advisory committee representing all disciplines, but it has not announced the committee’s membership or meeting plans.

NASA’s flagship advisory body, the NASA Advisory Council, has not met since the start of the current administration, and its subcommittees covering areas such as exploration and space technology have also not convened.

“To see those things sort of put on hold, if you will, while they are examined or their charters are reviewed is very, very worrisome,” Lester Lyles, chairman of the NASA Advisory Council, said last July.

He argued that advisory groups are even more important given upheaval in the federal workforce, including the departure of roughly 20% of NASA’s civil servant workforce through early resignation programs. “Those advisory groups, peopled by the right kinds of individuals and leadership, can play a more important role,” he said.

Some advisory committees have continued to operate. The congressionally mandated Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel holds quarterly public meetings, and the International Space Station Advisory Committee also met last year.

Other federal agencies have taken similar steps. Last August, the Federal Aviation Administration removed the entire membership of its Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee, known as COMSTAC, which had advised the agency on commercial launch issues since 1984. The FAA has not reconstituted COMSTAC or announced future plans for the committee.