Members of Congress have formally requested a federal investigation into abrupt closures and relocations at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, alleging mismanagement and potential violations of federal law during the recent government shutdown. The move follows growing concerns among employees and lawmakers that critical scientific projects are being jeopardized by hasty actions taken while most NASA staff were furloughed.
Congressional Pressure Mounts
Representative Zoe Lofgren, a leading Democrat on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, spearheaded the call for an audit by NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG). A letter co-signed by 15 other members of Congress accuses NASA leadership of accelerating a long-term campus restructuring plan in a way that disregards safety protocols and threatens ongoing missions. The lawmakers specifically question the rationale behind rapidly dismantling facilities while a significant portion of the workforce was barred from working due to the shutdown.
The timing is critical: in September, NASA leadership signaled an aggressive acceleration of its 20-year Master Plan, aiming to complete major campus changes by March 2026. This move coincided with the federal government furloughing over 15,000 NASA employees, creating a situation where select staff were granted “excepted” status to pack up and relocate labs, sometimes without clear direction or supervision.
Allegations of Irregular Conduct
Internal communications obtained by Space.com show that some moves were carried out with minimal notice, even as sensitive equipment was hastily moved from facilities supporting high-profile missions like the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and the Dragonfly probe to Saturn’s moon Titan. One engineer described scenes of contractors “throwing stuff out of rooms” while employees were locked out, citing erratic communication and a lack of formal documentation.
The lawmakers’ letter accuses Goddard management of “erratic and highly irregular” communications, questioning whether the accelerated relocations align with the agency’s long-term planning or serve a broader, politically motivated agenda. Some officials suspect the moves are tied to proposed budget cuts that would dramatically reduce NASA’s science funding.
NASA Defends Actions
NASA officials insist the relocations are fiscally necessary and align with long-term planning to reduce operating costs and address deferred maintenance. Goddard’s Acting Director, Cynthia Simmons, and Science Mission Directorate Associate Administrator, Nicola Fox, claim the changes were discussed as early as June 2023 and will ultimately save the agency an estimated $74 million annually. They argue the moves were coordinated with project managers to minimize disruption.
However, lawmakers remain skeptical, pointing to what they describe as a departure from the Master Plan’s gradual approach. They question whether the agency acted prudently during the shutdown, citing potential violations of the Anti Deficiency Act.
Inspector General to Decide
The OIG must now determine whether to launch a formal audit into NASA’s management of Goddard, specifically focusing on the decision-making behind the relocations, compliance with the Master Plan, and the handling of government property. If an audit proceeds, it will examine whether political pressure influenced the accelerated timeline and if key decisions were made in good faith.
The situation highlights a broader tension between NASA’s long-term scientific goals and shifting budgetary priorities. Regardless of the OIG’s decision, congressional scrutiny of Goddard is expected to continue as lawmakers seek greater transparency and accountability from the agency.
