NASA workers at the Goddard Space Flight Center are raising alarms over the sudden closure and emptying of more than a dozen buildings during the federal shutdown, fearing it’s a covert effort to dismantle the iconic campus. NASA leadership insists these are strategic consolidations that won’t impact key projects.
Alarm is growing among federal workers at NASA’s iconic Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, as more than a dozen buildings on the campus are being emptied and padlocked during the federal shutdown. Sources who spoke to CNN on condition of anonymity reported that furloughed employees were given just days to temporarily return to work and help move highly specialized equipment, with internal emails indicating that unused items could be thrown away or donated.
NASA leadership has pushed back against these concerns, stating in a spokesperson’s comment that the building closures are part of a ‘strategic consolidation’ plan mapped out by Goddard leaders. The agency claims this should not impact ongoing projects and is in response to an exodus of employees who took deferred resignations, with buildings vacated being approximately 40% unoccupied on average.
However, workers fear the sudden moves could affect critical missions, including the 2027 launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, a powerful successor to Hubble and Webb designed to study dark matter and habitable planets. The Dragonfly program, which aims to send a helicopter to Saturn’s moon Titan in 2028, is also at risk, according to sources. NASA maintains that both projects will remain operational and not be delayed.
A major point of contention is the closure of the ElectroMagnetic Anechoic Chamber (GEMAC), a one-of-a-kind facility for testing spacecraft antennas. Workers describe it as essential for current and future missions, likening its loss to ‘taking a Maserati to the junkyard.’ NASA asserts that GEMAC was in poor condition and that no projects were slated to use it in the next 15 years, with alternatives available for testing.
Legal and ethical concerns have been raised, with workers questioning if the return-to-work directives violate the Antideficiency Act, which restricts unpaid labor during shutdowns. NASA denies any violations, stating that exceptions were approved for moving technical equipment, and over 100 office space moves have been paused until the government reopens.
The purported chaos is further affecting employee morale at Goddard, which has already been reeling from job losses and budget cuts. Sources express fear that crippling the campus could severely hurt U.S. space science capabilities, as private industry may not undertake such unprofitable but vital explorations, such as missions to Jupiter.
The situation highlights broader tensions within NASA under the current administration, with uncertainties around funding and strategic direction. Workers hope for clarity and protection of the center’s legacy, emphasizing its role in groundbreaking space missions and the potential long-term impact on scientific discovery.