Dear DPS community,
Since the recent U.S. Presidential transition, a number of Executive Orders and a memo from the Office of Management and Budget have negatively impacted AAS/DPS members and the broader scientific community. A list of presidential actions may be found at:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions
These directives have resulted in the temporary freezing of thousands of federal planetary science grants and programs that enable DPS members and other researchers to carry out their professional responsibilities, advancing U.S. space science and the good of the nation. These directives have also resulted in the pausing of all meetings and activities of the planetary science Analysis/Assessment Groups that exist to provide scientific analyses and assessments to NASA. These include ExMAG, LEAG, MAPSIT, MEPAG, MExAG, OPAG, OWWG, SBAG, and VEXAG, and the Cross-AG Working Group along with other groups or activities developed by the AGs, as indicated in letters received from NASA HQ by Analysis/Assessment Group leads.
We understand that several federal agencies are implementing different and evolving actions restricting grants, travel, communications, and scientific publications. These impact the ability of our planetary science community to objectively and efficiently conduct its activities and serve the needs of the nation and of science. It also creates confusion and uncertainty among our colleagues, especially students and early career scientists, putting at significant risk current and future research efforts as well as U.S. leadership in space exploration and planetary defense. Indeed, several meetings planned for the first half of 2025 have been paused or were cancelled outright, and the groups listed above are stopping work until further notice, with no indication of how soon work may resume.
Furthermore, science advancement is accomplished by individuals building on each other’s efforts through a wide range of experiences and perspectives. It is critical to recognize that these directives have negatively impacted all planetary (and astronomy in general) scientists, and some individuals and groups significantly more than others. These changes have generated uncertainties and fears about near-term resources that are slowing or halting individual science investigations, with a particular impact on early career researchers who cannot weather an indefinite pause in building their research foundations. Funding delays and reductions in outreach and internship programs specifically hurt student recruitment efforts that are vital for continued growth of the U.S. technical workforce. DPS reiterates that all DPS members, and all planetary scientists, are valued community members and contributors towards science advancements.
Thus, DPS expresses its dismay at these actions leading to possible disruption and halting of scientific research programs, including planetary science, as well as other activities with congressional mandates. We request that more communication and information be dispensed by NASA and NSF as it becomes available.
At DPS, we also plan to dedicate Capitol Hill visits in spring and summer of 2025 to advocacy for the value of broad involvement in space science, including our and our colleagues’ research, NASA projects, and NASA missions. We will join forces with other scientific institutions and organizations, including at the international level, and inform our membership as the situation evolves.
To help us in this advocacy, we urge all DPS members to urgently contact their congressional representatives and express your support for ending the disruptions to open scientific research and to activities of Planetary Science Analysis / Assessment Groups, which are an important tool for NASA to tap the corporate knowledge of the science community.
You may find contact information for your representatives at the following AAS web page: https://aas.org/advocacy/get-involved/a-reference-guide-for-how-to-advocate-for-science
or alternatively at the following House of Representatives web page:
https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
and the following Senate web page:
https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
Thank you in advance for your advocacy.
DPS Chair Athena Coustenis
and the DPS Committee
OTHER ACTIONS YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN:
In case you missed it, the AAS Public Policy Office is asking DPS members to share your story about how government decisions are affecting you, your careers, your work, your scientific discipline, and your communities. You may participate anonymously, and your feedback is invaluable in helping the AAS work in support of science and our scientific community.
AGU has also issued a statement and invites their members to participate in their short survey on how government decisions are affecting you, your careers, your work, your scientific discipline, and your communities. You may also participate anonymously.
You may also want to consult and sign the Space Science is for Everyone: An Open Letter at https://sites.google.com/view/space-science-for-everyone/home effort. This is addressed to all interested parties at an international level.