NASA has launched a new wave of staff layoffs after receiving a shocking budget request from the president’s administration. Employees received letters offering a deferred resignation program (DRP) and other voluntary retirement schemes. The choice is not easy: accept a layoff with a severance payment of up to $25,000 now, or continue working with the risk of being subject to future forced layoffs without compensation. Time to think about it is limited – applications are only accepted until July 25. Those who agree will be placed on administrative leave with guaranteed protection from future restructuring.
Record reduction in funding
The reason for such radical measures is the White House’s budget request for the 2026 fiscal year. It provides for an unprecedented reduction in NASA funding. The agency’s total budget is set to be cut by as much as 24%. The most painful cuts will be to scientific programs, whose funding is proposed to be reduced by almost half. This threatens research into Earth, the Sun, exoplanets, and many other fundamental areas. In addition, the request explicitly states the need to reduce staff by 32% at all ten key agency centers, such as JPL or the Kennedy Space Center. This budget plan has caused a wave of criticism in the scientific and space communities.
Reaction of management and initial consequences
Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro explained the need for immediate action in her address to employees. She noted that the proposed funding required aligning workforce and resources with changed priorities to ensure the success of future missions. Petro called the DRP program “the first swallow” in a series of measures to reorganize the agency, calling for careful consideration of the decision.
The consequences of budgetary pressure are already materializing. Back in the spring, NASA closed several important departments, resulting in the dismissal of dozens of employees. Now the communications department has also been affected — several NASA social media accounts have already announced that they will be archiving their content. If a sufficient number of employees in this department do not agree to voluntary retirement, they will face compulsory layoffs.
Leadership crisis
The situation is complicated by the absence of a permanent NASA administrator. Last month, the candidate for the position, businessman and private astronaut Jared Isaacman, unexpectedly withdrew his candidacy. Isaacman hinted that the reason was his close ties to Elon Musk, who is in public conflict with President Donald Trump. This left the agency without a leader in the midst of the financial crisis.
It is noteworthy that Isaacman expressed concern about the planned reduction in the science budget, calling it “suboptimal.” At the same time, rumors emerged about the Pentagon’s growing influence over NASA’s future, with reports that Trump had consulted with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff about finding a new head for the agency. In addition, several key figures have already left NASA, including Jim Free, one of the architects of the Artemis lunar program.
Uncertain future
NASA is at a critical crossroads. The planned budget cuts and restructuring are among the most extensive in recent decades. Key questions remain unanswered: will the DRP initiative help to avoid mass layoffs? How will deep cuts in funding for scientific programs affect the implementation of planned ambitious projects, such as returning humans to the Moon with Artemis manned missions, exploring Mars, or monitoring global climate change? Will the agency maintain its leading role in global science and space exploration? The decisions made in the coming months will determine not only the fate of thousands of specialists, but also the future of American space ambitions and scientific development.
Earlier, we reported on how the ISS fell into a financial hole.
According to flyingmag.com
