Keith’s note: I did an interview with ABC Radio National Breakfast in Australia “The inch by inch race back to the moon” about the Artemis II rollout. [Audio]

Keith’s note: on 16 January 2026 NASA Planetary Science Division Director Louise M. Prockter: distributed this letter “The Future of the Planetary Science Analysis and Assessment Groups (AGs)” — (Full Text below).

Keith’s note: these are the current NASA Planetary Science Analysis Groups listed by NASA – just in case that page goes away (it happens a lot at NASA these days). Full page below

• Extraterrestrial Materials Analysis Group (ExMAG)
• Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG)
• Mapping and Planetary Spatial Infrastructure Team (MAPSIT)
• Mars Exploration Analysis Group (MEPAG)
• Mercury Exploration Assessment Group (MExAG)
• Outer Planets Assessment Group (OPAG)
• Small Bodies Assessment Group (SBAG)
• Venus Exploration Analysis Group (VEXAG)

Dale Andersen: “We just completed the camp last night, and today a storm will move in with 50 mph winds (more?) and perhaps some snow. Should provide a quick test of our handiwork! The layout is organized to maximize protection for the various tents. We positioned the sea-container to block the major winds out of the SE, so the central camp sits in its lee.” (Keith’s note: the tents may look familiar – they are made by the same company that provided them to “Star Trek Strange New World”) More: Dale Andersen’s Astrobiology Antarctic Status Report: 18 January 2026: Lake Untersee Base Camp Is Operational

Keith’s note: I just spoke with Deutsche Welle about today’s rollout of the Artemis II stack from the VAB to the launch pad. [Audio] [Video]

Keith’s note: the American Astronomical Society (AAS) issued a release Congress Passes Fiscal Year 2026 Spending Bills for NSF, NASA, and DOE – here is the NASA portion: “Take action today! Congress has largely rejected the severe cuts to science proposed in the President’s Budget Request. Take a few minutes today to thank your members of Congress for their support of the sciences, and urge them to continue to provide robust and sustained support in the future: https://aas.org/action-alert-thank-you-fy2026 On 15 January 2026, the US Senate passed a “minibus” of Fiscal Year 2026 spending bills, following its passage by the House of Representatives on 8 January. … Note that as of 15 January 2026, the bills have been sent to the President to sign into law, but we are awaiting that final signature.” More below

Keith’s note: this directive: “Workforce Directive: Recognize, Reward, Inspire” was sent out to all of NASA on 14 January 2026: “Achieving NASA’s world-changing mission requires the best from a talented, inspired, and mission-focused workforce.” [full memo below]

Keith’s note: this is an excerpted version of a statement by Sen. Van Hollen (D-MD) on the Senate Passage of Commerce, Justice, Science, & Related Agencies FY 2026 Appropriations Bill – Legislation includes provisions on FBI Headquarters, NASA Goddard, NOAA; rejects Trump Administration cuts to critical programs: Key Bill Points & Highlights: [Note NASA, NSF, NIST, NOAA excerpts] (more below)

Keith’s note: According to a press release “U.S. Science Leadership Survives Existential Threat From Trump Budget as Cantwell Rallies Colleagues to Reject Gutting NASA, NSF, & NIST“ from Senator Maria Cantwell: “America’s leading science agencies have survived an existential threat thanks to bipartisan rejection of massive budget cuts proposed by the Trump Administration, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and senior member of the Finance Committee, announced today.” (Full text below)

Keith’s note: The Explorers Club has issued its annual ECAD award. Among them is the enormously cool Sylvia A. Earle Award For Exploration Excellence which is going to the NASA SPHEREx Mission Team: “Jamie Bock, Principal Investigator Olivier Doré, Project Scientist John Wisniewski, Program Scientist – This NASA space mission team is recognized for its outstanding contributions to astrophysical exploration and for advancing our understanding of the cosmos through groundbreaking instrumentation and survey design — completing the first infrared map of the entire sky in 102 colors. Formerly our Citation of Merit, freshly re-named in honor of the 1996 Explorers Club Medalist and living legend, Dr. Sylvia A. Earle.”

Keith’s Note: Live from Antarctica: Why the Ice Matters Join Miles O’Brien on Thursday 15 Jan at 12:00 PM EST for a real-time conversation from the bottom of the world—about science, exploration, and why Antarctica matters to all of us. Link https://youtu.be/LIdharrlzbM

Keith’s note: According to this White House release a bunch of renominations of people who did not get their confirmation process completed before the end of 2025 have been re-nominated – including “Matthew Anderson, of Colorado, to be Deputy Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration”. So – welcome back Matt.

Keith’s note: according to NASA: “NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission safely splashed down early Thursday morning in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, concluding a more than five-month mission aboard the International Space Station.”

Keiths note: I was on Deutsche Welle TV tonight talking about the crew 11 return in a few hours. [Audio] [Video] 15 Jan update: I just recorded another, post-splashdown interview with DW which should air this evening.

Keith’s note: Astrobiologist Dale Andersen and his research team are settling in at their base camp on the shore of Lake Untersee, Antarctica. How they go about this expedition is a preview of how we’ll be doing science on the Moon, Mars – and beyond. More: Dale Andersen’s Astrobiology Antarctic Status Report: 14 January 2026: Setting Up Base Camp At lake Untersee

Keith’s note: I was on CNN This morning talking about the return of crew 11 and NASA’s new Administrator. [Audio]

Keith’s note: In case you missed it the White House recently went in – big time – on global AI leadership – here’s the plan at ai.gov. One would assume that NASA was paying attention. They did to some extent. NASA SMD just issued C.12 Foundational Artificial Intelligence for the Moon and Mars (FAIMM) stating that it is “Amended January 13, 2026: This amendment presents this new program element in ROSES-2025.” One of the prime reasons to explore Mars in the first place for the past six decades with robotics and humans has been the search for life – past or present. The NASA program for this is called “Astrobiology”. Yet no mention of the words “astrobiology” or “exobiology” or “life” or “biology” is made in c.12. There is no mention on the new NASA Astrobiology site either. Why is that? More below.

Keith’s note: Dale Andersen and his astrobiology research team departed the Ultima ice airstrip where they arrived the other day – and drove their snowmobiles south to their research base location at Lake Untersee. I posted some slightly blurry pics yesterday but now that they have their Starlink up and operational, there’s more imagery and a video to show you. Oh yes – Dale Andersen is holding a ISS Crew 11 patch. He and fellow biologist, astronaut Zena Cardman, have worked together and had planned an antarctic/space conversation – but the crew’s early return cancelled that. More: Dale Andersen’s Astrobiology Antarctic Status Report: 12 January 2026: Overland Traverse Imagery – And Hello ISS

Keith’s note: Today’s overland traverse from Ultima air strip, southward, to Lake Untersee, was done by snowmobiles pulling sledges packed with gear and supplies. Dale has been doing research in the region around Lake Untersee for many years. As such they have worked out a standard path around terrain that they follow more or less – with weather altering the course slightly from one trip to another. Update: Dale Andersen and his team are now at Lake Untersee, at S 71.260082° E 13.506017° elevation of 2,645 ft. More: Dale Andersen’s Astrobiology Antarctic Status Report: 11 January 2026: Overland Traverse To Lake Untersee

Keith’s note: This was posted last night from the International Space Station on LinkedIn by Mike Fincke: As many of you have heard, our crew will be coming home just a few weeks earlier than planned due to an unexpected medical issue. (Full note below)