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WASHINGTON: Approximately 20% of NASA employees are expected to leave the space agency, according to a NASA spokesperson on Friday. The anticipated departure involves around 3,870 personnel, though this number might fluctuate in the upcoming days and weeks. The remaining workforce at NASA is projected to be around 14,000 employees.
Earlier this month, Politico reported—based on obtained documents—that roughly 2,145 senior-level employees at NASA are preparing to exit as part of an initiative to reduce staff. The majority of those leaving occupy GS-13 to GS-15 roles, which are senior government ranks. The agency has offered options like early retirement, buyouts, and deferred resignations to facilitate this process.
“NASA remains dedicated to our mission as we operate within a more constrained budget,” NASA spokesperson Bethany Stevens told Reuters via email.
In recent months under President Donald Trump’s administration, NASA’s workforce of 18,000 and the broader U.S. space industry have faced uncertainty due to potential layoffs and proposed budget cuts that threaten to eliminate numerous science programs. The agency has also been without a confirmed administrator during this period.
Jared Isaacman, a billionaire private astronaut and ally of Elon Musk, was initially nominated by Trump to lead NASA. However, he was quickly withdrawn from consideration last month, seemingly as a result of Musk’s fallout with the White House, preventing Musk’s preferred candidate from taking the helm at the agency.
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