Members Can Post Anonymously On This Site
Career Intermission Program application window opens April 1, reduces service obligation
-
Similar Topics
-
By NASA
Credit: NASA NASA, on behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has awarded a delivery order to BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems Inc. of Boulder, Colorado, to build spacecraft for the Lagrange 1 Series project as a part of NOAA’s Space Weather Next program.
The award made under the Rapid Spacecraft Acquisition IV contract, has a total value of approximately $230.6 million with the period of performance running from February 2025 to February 2035. The work will take place at the awardee’s facility in Boulder.
The firm-fixed-price delivery order covers all phases of the Lagrange 1 Series project operations including developing up to two spacecraft, instrument integration, satellite-level testing, training and support for the spacecraft flight operations team, and mission operations support. Rapid IV contracts serve as a fast and flexible means for the government to acquire spacecraft and related components, equipment, and services in support of NASA missions and other federal government agencies.
The Space Weather Next program will maintain and extend space weather observations from various orbitally stable points such as Lagrange 1, which is about a million miles from Earth. The first Space Weather Next Lagrange 1 Series launch, planned in 2029, will be the first observatory under the program and will provide continuity of real-time coronal imagery and upstream solar wind measurements. Space Weather Next will provide uninterrupted data continuity when NOAA’s Space Weather Follow On Lagrange 1 mission comes to its end of operations.
Observations of the Sun and the near-Earth space environment are important to protecting our technological infrastructure both on the ground and in space. The spacecraft will provide critical data to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center which issues forecasts, warnings and alerts that help mitigate space weather impacts, including electric power outages and interruption to communications and navigation systems.
NASA and NOAA oversee the development, launch, testing, and operation of all the satellites in the Lagrange 1 Series project. NOAA is the program owner providing the requirements and funding along with managing the program, operations, data products, and dissemination to users. NASA and its commercial partners develop and build the instruments, spacecraft, and provide launch services on behalf of NOAA.
For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov
-end-
Karen Fox/Liz Vlock
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / elizabeth.a.vlock@nasa.gov
Jeremy Eggers
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
757-824-2958
jeremy.l.eggers@nasa.gov
Share
Details
Last Updated Feb 21, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
Space Weather Heliophysics Joint Agency Satellite Division NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Science & Research Science Mission Directorate View the full article
-
By NASA
Official portrait of NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free, taken on Nov. 22, 2024, at the agency’s headquarters in Washington.Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free announced Wednesday his retirement, effective Saturday, Feb. 22. As associate administrator, Free has been the senior advisor to NASA Acting Administrator Janet Petro and leads NASA’s 10 center directors, as well as the mission directorate associate administrators at NASA Headquarters in Washington. He is the agency’s chief operating officer for more than 18,000 employees and oversaw an annual budget of more than $25 billion.
During his tenure as associate administrator since January 2024, NASA added nearly two dozen new signatories of the Artemis Accords, enabled the first Moon landing through the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative to deliver NASA science to the lunar surface, launched the Europa Clipper mission to study Jupiter’s icy ocean moon, and found molecules containing the ingredients for life in samples from asteroid Bennu delivered to Earth by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security–Regolith Explorer) spacecraft.
“Throughout his career, Jim has been the ultimate servant leader – always putting the mission and the people of NASA first,” said Petro. “A remarkable engineer and a decisive leader, he combines deep technical expertise with an unwavering commitment to this agency’s mission. Jim’s legacy is one of selfless service, steadfast leadership, and a belief in the power of people.”
Among the notable contributions to the nation during his NASA career, Free also championed a new path forward to return samples from Mars ahead of human missions to the Red Planet, supported the crews living and working aboard the International Space Station as they conduct hundreds of experiments and technology demonstrations, and engaged industry in new ways to secure a public/private partnership for NASA’s VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) mission on the Moon.
“It has been an honor to serve NASA and walk alongside the workforce that tackles the most difficult engineering challenges, pursues new scientific knowledge in our universe and beyond, develops technologies for future exploration endeavors, all while prioritizing safety every day for people on the ground, in the air, and in space,” Free said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of the NASA family and contribute to the agency’s mission for the benefit of humanity.”
During his more than three decades of service, Free has held several leadership roles at the agency. Before being named NASA associate administrator, Free served as associate administrator of the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, where he oversaw the successful Artemis I mission and the development of NASA’s Moon to Mars architecture, defining and managing the systems development for the agency’s Artemis missions and planning for NASA’s integrated deep space exploration approach.
Free began his NASA career in 1990 as an engineer, working on Tracking and Data Relay Satellites at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. He later transferred to the agency’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland and served in a variety of roles supporting the International Space Station and the development of the Orion spacecraft before transferring to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in 2008. Free returned to NASA Glenn in 2009 and was promoted to chief of the Space Flight Systems Directorate, where he oversaw the center’s space work. Free was named deputy center director in November 2010 and then served as center director from January 2013 until March 2016, when he was appointed to the NASA Headquarters position of deputy associate administrator for Technical [sic] in the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate.
A native of Northeast Ohio, Free earned his bachelor’s degree in aeronautics from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and his master’s degree in space systems engineering from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.
Free is the recipient of the Presidential Rank Award, NASA Distinguished Service Medal, NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, NASA Exceptional Service Medal, NASA Significant Achievement Medal, and numerous other awards.
For more information about NASA, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov
-end-
Kathryn Hambleton / Cheryl Warner
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
kathryn.hambleton@nasa.gov / cheryl.m.warner@nasa.gov
Share
Details
Last Updated Feb 19, 2025 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
Leadership View the full article
-
By Space Force
The U.S. Space Force announced the winners of the third annual Polaris Awards, recognizing individuals and teams who embody the four Guardian Values: Character, Connection, Commitment, and Courage.
View the full article
-
By NASA
Credit: NASA NASA has selected SpaceX of Starbase, Texas, to provide the launch service for the agency’s Pandora mission, which will study at least 20 known exoplanets and their host stars to find out how changes in stars affect our observations of exoplanet atmospheres.
The selection is part of NASA’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) launch services contract. This contract allows the agency to make fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity awards during VADR’s five-year ordering period, with a maximum total value of $300 million across all contracts.
During its one-year primary mission, Pandora will observe each exoplanet 10 times, observing for 24 hours each visit. It will capture critical data about the planet and its host star during transits, an event where a planet crosses in front of the star it orbits.
The satellite will use an innovative 17-inch (45-centimeter)-wide all-aluminum telescope to simultaneously measure the visible and near-infrared brightness of the host star and obtain near-infrared spectra of the transiting planet. This will allow scientists to cleanly separate star and planetary signals, knowledge that will enhance observations from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and future missions searching for habitable worlds, like the agency’s Habitable Worlds Observatory.
Pandora is a joint effort between NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. The Astrophysics Pioneers program, from the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington, funds Pandora and other astrophysics science missions using smaller, lower cost hardware and payloads. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, manages the VADR contract.
To learn more about NASA’s Pandora mission, visit:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/pandora
-end-
Tiernan Doyle
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
tiernan.doyle@nasa.gov
Patti Bielling
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
321-501-7575
patricia.a.bielling@nasa.gov
Share
Details
Last Updated Feb 10, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
Goddard Space Flight Center Astrophysics Division Astrophysics Pioneers Kennedy Space Center Launch Services Office Launch Services Program Space Operations Mission Directorate View the full article
-
By NASA
NASA’s Ethics Program provides training and counsel to NASA employees and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the agency-wide ethics program. Headquarters and Center Chief Counsels ethics officials support the ethics program in their respective localities.
A list of ethics officials at each NASA location can be found here: Headquarters and Center Ethics Officials.
Associate General Counsel, General Law Practice Group:
Katie Spear
Agency Counsel for Ethics:
Adam Greenstone
Current Employees
NASA employees have a responsibility to the United States Government and its citizens to place loyalty to the Constitution, laws, and ethics principles above private gain. As NASA employees, we need you to preserve NASA’s core value of integrity through your commitment to ethics and ethical decision-making. If you are faced with a question concerning your ethics obligations as a NASA employee, please contact a NASA ethics official before taking action.
Contact Information
What are your obligations? Know the rules. If you have questions, please ask an ethics official at your respective center.
Headquarter and Center Ethics Officials Financial Disclosure
As a NASA employee, you may be required to disclose your financial interests for one of two reasons: 1) You are in a position requiring by law that you file a Public Financial Disclosure (OGE Form 278)(PDF) report. This includes members of the Senior Executive Service (SES); SL or ST employees; holding another position classified above the GS-15 level; holding a “NASA excepted” position above a certain pay level; and Schedule C appointees. 2) Your duties are such that they raise an increased likelihood of a conflict of interest, for which you would file an (OGE Form 450)(PDF) report. If you are in a position subject to Public Financial Disclosure (or acting in one for more than 60 days), then you are subject to the Public Financial Disclosure report in which your report will be publicly available. If you are a General Schedule or other employee required to file OGE Form 450, your financial disclosure requirements will be less complex, and report will be confidential. For specific questions, please contact an ethics official.
Widely Attended Gatherings Determinations
Please click here to access the latest Widely Attended Gatherings Determinations. If you do not see a determination for the event in which you were invited to attend in your official capacity, please request guidance from your local ethics official.
Widely Attended Gatherings (WAGs) Determinations Outside Activities
NASA employees are subject to regulations regarding outside employment. They are prohibited from engaging in outside activities that conflict with their official duties. In addition, the NASA Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct for NASA Employees, 5 C.F.R. Part 6901, require prior approval for engaging in certain types of outside employment. In these instances, employees should request approval from their local ethics official prior to accepting such outside employment.
Note that the NASA Supplemental rules also prohibit NASA employees from engaging in outside employment with a NASA contractor, subcontractor, or grantee in connection with work performed by that entity for NASA; or a party to a Space Act Agreement, Commercial Launch Act agreement, or other agreement to which NASA is a party pursuant to specific statutory authority, if the employment is in connection with work performed under that agreement.
Employees in a leave status are subject to the same legal parameters.
Please reach out to your local ethics official for guidance.
Resources
14 General Principles, Office of Government Ethics Criminal Conflicts of Interest, Summary for Executive Brand Employees Introduction to the Standards of Ethical Conduct, Summary for Executive Branch Employees Standards of Ethics Conduct for Executive Branch Employees Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Hatch Act, Office of Special Counsel
Prospective Employees
We look forward to welcoming you to NASA! You are joining an organization that works to change the history of humanity and usher in a bold new era or discovery. We are depending on you to maintain the public trust and to preserve NASA’s ethical culture. Accordingly, NASA employees must comply with ethical standards that relate to outside employment, political activities, and business relationships, among other topics. NASA encourages prospective employees to learn more about these ethical standards along the path of joining our team. If ethics questions arise before or after you join NASA, please contact a NASA ethics official before taking action. What are your obligations? Know the rules. If you have questions, please ask an ethics official at your respective location.
Headquarter and Center Ethics Officials Financial Disclosure
As a NASA employee, you may be required to disclose your financial interests for one of two reasons: 1) You are in a position requiring by law that you file a Public Financial Disclosure (OGE Form 278)(PDF) report. This includes members of the Senior Executive Service (SES); SL or ST employees; holding another position classified above the GS-15 level; holding a “NASA excepted” position above a certain pay level; and Schedule C appointees. 2) Your duties are such that they raise an increased likelihood of a conflict of interest, for which you would file an (OGE Form 450)(PDF) report. If you are in a position subject to Public Financial Disclosure (or acting in one for more than 60 days), then you are subject to the Public Financial Disclosure report in which your report will be publicly available. If you are a General Schedule or other employee required to file OGE Form 450, your financial disclosure requirements will be less complex, and your report will be confidential. For specific questions, please contact an ethics official.
Resources
14 General Principles, Office of Government Ethics Criminal Conflicts of Interest, Summary for Executive Brand Employees Introduction to the Standards of Ethical Conduct, Summary for Executive Branch Employees Standards of Ethics Conduct for Executive Branch Employees Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Hatch Act, Office of Special Counsel Former Employees
The post-government employment ethics statute, 18 U.S.C. § 207, applies to a former NASA employee’s communication with NASA or the Government on behalf of the former employee’s non-federal employer. Former NASA employees should contact a NASA ethics official for advice before communications or otherwise interacting with NASA or the Government on behalf of their new employer because this criminal statute may be implicated. The Procurement Integrity Act also restricts individuals who were in certain contracting roles from accepting compensated work from certain contractors for a limited period.
Contact Information
If you have questions, please ask an ethics official at your respective center.
Headquarters and Center Ethics Officials Special Government Employees
A Special Government Employee (SGE) is an officer or employee “who is retained, designated, appointed, or employed to perform, with or without compensation, for not to exceed one hundred and thirty days during any consecutive period of three hundred and sixty-five consecutive days.” 18 U.S.C. § 202. Congress created the SGE category in 1962 to allow the federal Government to obtain the expertise it needs, while allowing experts to continue their private professional lives. As a result, some of the ethics statutes and regulations apply differently to SGEs than they do to regular executive branch employees, and some provisions do not apply at all.
Financial Disclosure
SGEs are required to file a financial disclosure report each year, usually a confidential financial disclosure report (OGE-450). Financial disclosure reporting helps NASA identify any possible financial conflicts of interest. SGEs are notified in advance of when to file.
Sample Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, Office of Government Ethics Confidential Financial Disclosure Guide, Office of Government Ethics Video on how to Complete a New Entrant Confidential Financial Disclosure Report Video on how to Complete an Annual Financial Disclosure Report Ethics Training
SGEs are required to receive annual ethics training by December 31st of each calendar year.
Contact Information
If you are a SGE and have questions, please contact the Headquarters Ethics Team by e-mail at hq-ethicsteam@nasa.gov or by phone at (202) 358-0550.
Resources
14 General Principles, Office of Government Ethics Criminal Conflicts of Interest, Summary for Executive Brand Employees Introduction to the Standards of Ethical Conduct, Summary for Executive Branch Employees Standards of Ethics Conduct for Executive Branch Employees Supplemental Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Contact
Office of the General Counsel
NASA Headquarters
300 E Street SW Suite 9V30
Washington, DC 20546
Phone Number (202) 358-2450
Return to OGC Homepage OGC Disclaimer: The materials within this website do not constitute legal advice. For details read our disclaimer.
View the full article
-
-
Check out these Videos
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.