Welcome back, listeners. This week’s biggest headline from NASA is the successful launch of the twin ESCAPADE spacecraft toward Mars, riding aboard Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket—marking a historic second flight for the rocket and a major milestone in NASA’s partnership with private industry. According to CBS News, this mission is designed to study how solar winds interact with Mars’ magnetosphere, paving the way for future human exploration and better understanding of our planetary neighbors.

Blue Origin’s achievement of both a precision launch and booster landing has drawn headlines, and NASA Administrator Bill Nelson praised ESCAPADE as “a brilliant example of innovation and collaboration, bringing us closer to unlocking the secrets of Mars and preparing for our crewed missions ahead.” The twin spacecraft will loiter in Earth orbit until November next year, utilizing gravity assist to begin their journey to Mars—a flexible approach making the most of rare planetary alignment windows.

But it’s not all smooth sailing at NASA. Behind the scenes, recent policy changes and budget adjustments are causing waves. Early reports from congressional staff and whistleblowers, covered by The American Astronomical Society and Senate staff, reveal a climate of concern over the President’s FY26 budget proposal, which could impose deep cuts—up to 50%—on NASA’s science programs. Earth Science is particularly hard-hit with an 18% reduction this year, though this is less severe than previous White House proposals.

A NASA whistleblower bluntly warned, “I’m very concerned that we’re going to see an astronaut death within a few years if this chainsaw approach continues,” highlighting immediate impacts on safety culture and morale. Leadership, including NASA Chief of Staff Brian Hughes, is enforcing strict adherence to these budget requests, reportedly urging staff to “keep their heads down,” which could threaten not only cutting-edge research but also astronaut and workplace safety. Congress is now debating legislation to prevent unilateral implementation of these budget cuts under a continuing resolution.

For American citizens, these developments mean both incredible science milestones and potential setbacks in research, safety, and leadership in space. Businesses—especially those in space technology—see opportunities in NASA’s outreach for commercial launch services but also risk as science funding shrinks. State and local governments involved in research, outreach, or NASA facilities could see ripple effects in jobs and infrastructure. Internationally, collaborations like with ISRO on the NISAR satellite continue to strengthen alliances—NISAR’s first images are already offering new insights into our planet’s surface.

Looking forward, listeners should watch for updates on Artemis lunar missions, ongoing budget negotiations, and new launches like the Cygnus XL resupply to the ISS—streamed live on NASA+ and Amazon Prime. To engage, citizens can comment during open NASA reviews, contact representatives about proposed budget changes, and join public forums.

For more information, check NASA.gov, follow congressional updates, and tune into NASA’s social media. If you have input on proposed science funding and priorities, now is the time to be heard. Thanks for tuning in—remember to subscribe wherever you listen. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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