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El Paso Astronaut Among Those Removed from NASA Advisory Council Amid Concerns

El Paso Matters••Robert Moore
People gathering representing community events and culture

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NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has made significant changes to the NASA Advisory Council (NAC), removing all 14 members, including El Paso's own retired astronaut Danny Olivas. This decision comes as the agency prepares for the Artemis II lunar mission and follows a broader trend of workforce reductions at NASA since the return of Donald Trump to the presidency. Former NASA leaders have expressed alarm over the dismantling of an advisory system that has provided crucial guidance for decades, warning that it could jeopardize safety and innovation in space exploration. Olivas and others believe that the lack of external consultation could lead to serious risks in future missions.

Key Details: • All members of the NASA Advisory Council were removed in March 2025. • Danny Olivas played a role in assessing the Artemis II heat shield safety. • NASA's workforce has been reduced by 20% since Trump's return to presidency. • The NAC's active charter is in place until September 2027, but future membership is under discussion.

nasa artemis space-exploration advisory-council danny-olivas

People & Organizations

El PasoNASAJared IsaacmanDanny OlivasCape CanaveralCharles Bolden Jr.Bill NelsonNASA Advisory CouncilPlanetary Science Institute

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