NASA Is Now Primarily an Intelligence and National Security Agency | Hacker News Reader

NASA Is Now Primarily an Intelligence and National Security Agency

nasawatch.com

7 pointsthrow0101d8 comments

From the EO:

> Section 1. Determinations. The agencies and agency subdivisions set forth in section 2 of this order are hereby determined to have as a primary function intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative, or national security work. It is also hereby determined that Chapter 71 of title 5, United States Code, cannot be applied to these agencies and agency subdivisions in a manner consistent with national security requirements and considerations.

> Sec. 2. National Security Exclusions. Executive Order 12171 of November 19, 1979, as amended, is further amended by: […] (c) Adding the following after section 1-419: “1-420. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration. […]

* https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/08/furt...

Also in Section 2: patent/trademark office and the National Weather Service.

This is, in reality, the death of NASA. By decree, it can no longer serve the purpose for which it was formed and has been replaced with a very different agency that happens to have the same name.

It's such a shame to see the US abandon peaceful, civilian-run space efforts.

Does that mean that NASA is a spy agency now? Are there any different or additional ways to interpret this? And what are the consequences beyond the obvious?

AIUI, national security government apparatus are not allowed to be unionized, so by declaring NASA being about natsec the workers' labour 'rights' are rescinded.

Has always been. The main purpose of space flight has always been to put spy satellites and nuclear weapons into orbit.

> The main purpose of space flight has always been to put spy satellites and nuclear weapons into orbit.

All US spy satellites are under the NRO:

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Reconnaissance_Office

Positioning nuclear weapons in space is not allowed per treaty that US ratified:

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outer_Space_Treaty

Branches of the DOD run ICBMs.

Further NASA was put in charge of all space activities except "activities peculiar to or primarily associated with the development of weapons systems, military operations, or the defense", which went to the DOD (Section 102):

* https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-72/pdf/STATUTE-7...

So all military "space flight" is explicitly not with-in NASA's purview.

While national security work consists of more than just intelligence, I assume that all of those were already either under the NRO or shared between the NRO and other similar agencies. What is NASA supposed to do under the new arrangement? And isn't the assignment of multiple agencies to the same work actually inefficient and detrimental to national security due to inter-departmental conflicts?

> And isn't the assignment of multiple agencies to the same work actually inefficient […]?

I'm sure DOGE will get right on that.

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