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How 3 imaginary physics demons tore up the laws of nature
How 3 imaginary physics demons tore up the laws of nature
Can you work out what these enigmatic close-up photos are of?
How I learned to keep my brain in better repair this year
Best acronym? Best use of AI? We present our end-of-year awards
How I learned to keep my brain in better repair this year
Best acronym? Best use of AI? We present our end-of-year awards
We may finally know what a healthy gut microbiome looks like
We may finally know what a healthy gut microbiome looks like
NASA Loses Signal from Critical Mars Orbiter
NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft didn’t phone home as expected on December 6
The JWST Just Identified A Supernova From Only 730 Million Years After The Big Bang
The NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope has confirmed the source of a super-bright flash of light known as a gamma-ray burst, generated by an exploding massive star when the Universe was only 730 million years old. For the first time for such a remote event, the telescope provided a detection of the supernova’s host galaxy. Webb’s quick-turnaround observations verified data taken by telescopes around the world that had been following the gamma-ray burst since its onset, which occurred in mid-March.
MERS, a Deadly Coronavirus, Resurfaces in France for First Time in 12 Years
French health officials are trying to trace all the contacts of two men who contracted MERS, a potentially lethal disease that is typically confined to the Middle East
Retirement
The NSSC provides general administrative, advisory, and transactional support for federal benefits programs to all NASA employees, calculates retirement estimates, and processes retirement packages.
In consideration of retiring employees on administrative leave, resources typically available only to NASA employees behind the NASA firewall are temporarily available below. Most of your questions can be answered with one of these guides or the information below.
- Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) – What you need to know about retirement
- Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) – What you need to know about retirement
This information may help you resolve questions you would otherwise contact the NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC) about.
All other NASA employees can visit the NASA employee intranet for additional information.
Inquiry Response TimesNASA is experiencing a significant influx of inquiries due to the high number of upcoming retirements. Response times will be slower than normal. Please do not send repeated follow-ups, as that creates bottlenecks and further delays responses. All inquiries will be answered in the order received. Thank you for your patience.
Retirement Annuity Start Dates and Processing TimelinesFERS retirees with a retirement date on or before Dec. 31, 2025:
- Your annuity begins accruing Jan. 1, 2026.
- Your first payment is expected mid-February 2026.
- Because payments begin in February, your application is still considered timely even if it remains with the NSSC through late January.
- As long as your case reaches Payroll Review by February, there will be no delay in your annuity.
CSRS retirees with a retirement date on or before Jan. 3, 2026:
- Your annuity will accrue starting in January 2026, with the first payment mid-February 2026.
- Processing is still considered on time if NSSC completes its portion by late January, and your case reaches Payroll Review by February.
FERS employees retiring Jan. 1, 2026 or later and CSRS employees retiring Jan. 4, 2026, or later:
- Your annuity begins accruing Feb. 1, 2026.
- Your first payment is expected mid-March 2026.
- Applications can typically remain in HR review through February.
- As long as your package reaches Payroll Review by the end of February, your retirement payment will not be delayed.
VSIP payments will be issued with your final NASA paycheck. We do not expect any delays to VSIP payments. Even if your retirement application is not finalized by your retirement date it will not delay your VSIP.
Lump sum annual leave payments for employees retiring Dec. 28, 2025, through Jan. 10, 2026, are expected to be paid around Feb. 13, 2026. Even if your retirement application is not finalized by your retirement date it will not delay your lump sum leave payment.
All NASA issued payments, to include your last paycheck, VSIP, and lump sum leave, will be deposited into the same bank account used for your NASA payroll. Updates made in the Online Retirement Application (ORA) do not affect NASA payroll. ORA updates only apply to your future retirement annuity.
Understanding Online Retirement Application StatusesIn Process/Not Started:
- The application is with the employee for action. The NSSC cannot move it forward until the employee completes required steps. This is the only stage at which an employee can adjust or make changes to their application in ORA.
In HR Review:
- Your application is actively being worked by the NSSC Retirement Services team. Thousands of retirements are in the queue, so please be patient. Once your application is in HR Review (or beyond) you cannot make any changes. If you have a change that needs to be made, submit a Web Inquiry to the NSSC.
In Applicant Review:
- The application is back with the employee for final certification. Once completed, the status will update to In HR Finalized.
In HR Finalized:
- The NSSC has completed its portion and will release the package to payroll.
In Payroll Review:
- Your application is no longer with NASA. It is with the Department of the Interior, Interior Business Center (IBC), NASA’s payroll provider.
- Applications typically remain in Payroll Review for about 30 days after your retirement date while payroll records close. IBC will then certify the package and submit it to OPM.
- Do not change your email address once you begin your retirement application. ORA does not allow email updates mid-process.
- Changing your email requires deleting your application and starting over, which can significantly delay your place in the queue.
- You may update your preferred email later in OPM Services Online once your case transfers to OPM.
- The FERS group retirement counseling sessions have been extended to accommodate additional participants and are full. If you are not able to attend one of these sessions or may otherwise find the information helpful, you can watch a previously recorded session. To jump to a specific topic, see the recording time stamps.
- A final CSRS counseling session will be held Dec. 23. Eligible employees have already received a Teams meeting invitation via their personal email address. If you missed this invitation, you may submit a Web Inquiry to the NSSC to have it resent.
- A Retiree’s Guide for Preparing to Retire
- Benefits and Retirement Information
- Retirement Quick Guide
- OPM Retirement & Insurance Publications
- OPM Retirement FAQs
- Continuation of Life Insurance Election, SF 2818
- CSRS Spousal Consent to Survivor Election
- FERS Spousal Consent to Survivor Election
- Withholding Certificate for Periodic Pension or Annuity Payments, W-4P
- Medicare Request for Employment Information (only applicable for employees who are over age 65 and enrolling in Medicare during a Special Enrollment Period)
- Guidance on Reviewing and Updating Beneficiary Forms
- Voluntary Contribution Election (only for CSRS employees who have participated in the Voluntary Contribution Program)
Courts can issue orders that award benefits to legally separated spouses, former spouses, and children of current employees, former employees, and retirees under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). NASA cannot advise an employee, an employee’s spouse, or an attorney on how to draft a court order to award CSRS or FERS benefits. This is the task of the attorneys involved.
The NSSC cannot provide estimates that would require speculation about future promotions, program changes, or any other non-factual information and does not prepare estimates for employees who are not close to retirement. Official computations are made by OPM only at the time benefits become payable.
If you are involved in a divorce, legal separation, or annulment, you should provide the NSSC with a copy of your court order to expedite the processing of your retirement in the future.
Action required: Mail a court-certified copy of the court order to the address below and upload a copy in your ORA account:
- Attention: Retirement Services
NSSC
Bldg 1111, Jerry Hlass Rd
Stennis Space Center, MS 35929
Retirement
The NSSC provides general administrative, advisory, and transactional support for federal benefits programs to all NASA employees, calculates retirement estimates, and processes retirement packages.
In consideration of retiring employees on administrative leave, resources typically available only to NASA employees behind the NASA firewall are temporarily available below. Most of your questions can be answered with one of these guides or the information below.
- Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) – What you need to know about retirement
- Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) – What you need to know about retirement
This information may help you resolve questions you would otherwise contact the NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC) about.
All other NASA employees can visit the NASA employee intranet for additional information.
Inquiry Response TimesNASA is experiencing a significant influx of inquiries due to the high number of upcoming retirements. Response times will be slower than normal. Please do not send repeated follow-ups, as that creates bottlenecks and further delays responses. All inquiries will be answered in the order received. Thank you for your patience.
Retirement Annuity Start Dates and Processing TimelinesFERS retirees with a retirement date on or before Dec. 31, 2025:
- Your annuity begins accruing Jan. 1, 2026.
- Your first payment is expected mid-February 2026.
- Because payments begin in February, your application is still considered timely even if it remains with the NSSC through late January.
- As long as your case reaches Payroll Review by February, there will be no delay in your annuity.
CSRS retirees with a retirement date on or before Jan. 3, 2026:
- Your annuity will accrue starting in January 2026, with the first payment mid-February 2026.
- Processing is still considered on time if NSSC completes its portion by late January, and your case reaches Payroll Review by February.
FERS employees retiring Jan. 1, 2026 or later and CSRS employees retiring Jan. 4, 2026, or later:
- Your annuity begins accruing Feb. 1, 2026.
- Your first payment is expected mid-March 2026.
- Applications can typically remain in HR review through February.
- As long as your package reaches Payroll Review by the end of February, your retirement payment will not be delayed.
VSIP payments will be issued with your final NASA paycheck. We do not expect any delays to VSIP payments. Even if your retirement application is not finalized by your retirement date it will not delay your VSIP.
Lump sum annual leave payments for employees retiring Dec. 28, 2025, through Jan. 10, 2026, are expected to be paid around Feb. 13, 2026. Even if your retirement application is not finalized by your retirement date it will not delay your lump sum leave payment.
All NASA issued payments, to include your last paycheck, VSIP, and lump sum leave, will be deposited into the same bank account used for your NASA payroll. Updates made in the Online Retirement Application (ORA) do not affect NASA payroll. ORA updates only apply to your future retirement annuity.
Understanding Online Retirement Application StatusesIn Process/Not Started:
- The application is with the employee for action. The NSSC cannot move it forward until the employee completes required steps. This is the only stage at which an employee can adjust or make changes to their application in ORA.
In HR Review:
- Your application is actively being worked by the NSSC Retirement Services team. Thousands of retirements are in the queue, so please be patient. Once your application is in HR Review (or beyond) you cannot make any changes. If you have a change that needs to be made, submit a Web Inquiry to the NSSC.
In Applicant Review:
- The application is back with the employee for final certification. Once completed, the status will update to In HR Finalized.
In HR Finalized:
- The NSSC has completed its portion and will release the package to payroll.
In Payroll Review:
- Your application is no longer with NASA. It is with the Department of the Interior, Interior Business Center (IBC), NASA’s payroll provider.
- Applications typically remain in Payroll Review for about 30 days after your retirement date while payroll records close. IBC will then certify the package and submit it to OPM.
- Do not change your email address once you begin your retirement application. ORA does not allow email updates mid-process.
- Changing your email requires deleting your application and starting over, which can significantly delay your place in the queue.
- You may update your preferred email later in OPM Services Online once your case transfers to OPM.
- The FERS group retirement counseling sessions have been extended to accommodate additional participants and are full. If you are not able to attend one of these sessions or may otherwise find the information helpful, you can watch a previously recorded session. To jump to a specific topic, see the recording time stamps.
- A final CSRS counseling session will be held Dec. 23. Eligible employees have already received a Teams meeting invitation via their personal email address. If you missed this invitation, you may submit a Web Inquiry to the NSSC to have it resent.
- A Retiree’s Guide for Preparing to Retire
- Benefits and Retirement Information
- Retirement Quick Guide
- OPM Retirement & Insurance Publications
- OPM Retirement FAQs
- Online Retirement Application (ORA): Do’s and Don’ts
- Continuation of Life Insurance Election, SF 2818
- CSRS Spousal Consent to Survivor Election
- FERS Spousal Consent to Survivor Election
- Withholding Certificate for Periodic Pension or Annuity Payments, W-4P
- Medicare Request for Employment Information (only applicable for employees who are over age 65 and enrolling in Medicare during a Special Enrollment Period)
- Guidance on Reviewing and Updating Beneficiary Forms
- Voluntary Contribution Election (only for CSRS employees who have participated in the Voluntary Contribution Program)
Courts can issue orders that award benefits to legally separated spouses, former spouses, and children of current employees, former employees, and retirees under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). NASA cannot advise an employee, an employee’s spouse, or an attorney on how to draft a court order to award CSRS or FERS benefits. This is the task of the attorneys involved.
The NSSC cannot provide estimates that would require speculation about future promotions, program changes, or any other non-factual information and does not prepare estimates for employees who are not close to retirement. Official computations are made by OPM only at the time benefits become payable.
If you are involved in a divorce, legal separation, or annulment, you should provide the NSSC with a copy of your court order to expedite the processing of your retirement in the future.
Action required: Mail a court-certified copy of the court order to the address below and upload a copy in your ORA account:
- Attention: Retirement Services
NSSC
Bldg 1111, Jerry Hlass Rd
Stennis Space Center, MS 35929
NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim Returns to Earth
NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim Returns to Earth
The Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft is seen as it lands in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Dec. 9, 2025, with Expedition 73 NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky aboard.
The trio returned to Earth after logging 245 days in space as members of Expeditions 72 and 73 aboard the International Space Station. While aboard the orbiting laboratory, Kim contributed to a wide range of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations.
For more than 25 years, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and making research breakthroughs that are not possible on Earth. The station is a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight and to expand commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit.
See more photos from the landing.
Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim Returns to Earth
The Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft is seen as it lands in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Dec. 9, 2025, with Expedition 73 NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky aboard.
The trio returned to Earth after logging 245 days in space as members of Expeditions 72 and 73 aboard the International Space Station. While aboard the orbiting laboratory, Kim contributed to a wide range of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations.
For more than 25 years, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and making research breakthroughs that are not possible on Earth. The station is a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight and to expand commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit.
See more photos from the landing.
Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls