NASA Faces Congressional Scrutiny Over Lab Closures

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center is facing intense scrutiny from Congress over the proposed closures of multiple laboratories. Representative Zoe Lofgren, the ranking Democrat on the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, has sent a letter demanding that NASA halt these closures immediately.

She asserts that the agency has been prematurely implementing President Trump's 2026 budget request without congressional approval, leading to significant dismantling at Goddard. According to Space.com, Lofgren's letter emphasizes the urgency, giving NASA just 24 hours to confirm the cessation of lab closures.

She argues that these actions risk permanent damage to NASA's scientific capabilities. The ongoing government shutdown has exacerbated the situation, as nearly fifteen thousand NASA employees remain furloughed, while select groups at Goddard have been granted temporary 'excepted' status to pack up and relocate.

Reports indicate that up to thirteen major facilities at Goddard could be closed by March 2026, with project scientists having only a few days to vacate mission-critical labs. One scientist mentioned that millions of dollars worth of equipment is at risk of being abandoned.

Lofgren's letter underscores that NASA's leadership failed to adequately disclose the scale and urgency of these closures during a briefing, labeling this a grave error. She rejects the agency’s justification that these actions align with their Master Plan, arguing that the abrupt uprooting of employees and resources lacks a reasonable technical justification.

The letter demands a full accounting of the damages inflicted thus far, with the House Science Committee and NASA's Office of Inspector General expected to review the findings. Lofgren's intervention marks a significant oversight action by Congress, complementing a Senate report that criticized NASA for illegally implementing restructuring actions that threaten the agency's scientific mission.

Concerns are mounting that these moves could undermine the United States' leadership in space research and exploration, raising critical questions about NASA's funding priorities and future capabilities.