NASA to Lose Over 20% of Workforce Amid Restructuring

NASA is set to lose around 3,900 employees, representing more than 20 percent of its civil servant workforce, as part of a broader federal workforce reduction under former US President Donald Trump’s administration.

In a statement, NASA confirmed that approximately 3,000 employees opted into the agency’s second round of a deferred resignation program, which closed late Friday. They will remain on administrative leave until their agreed departure dates.

The reduction follows an earlier round that saw 870 departures, alongside routine exits. NASA’s workforce is now expected to fall from over 18,000 employees in January to roughly 14,000—a significant downsizing during a period when the agency is being tasked with ambitious goals in space exploration.

“Safety remains a top priority for our agency as we work to streamline operations while advancing toward a new era of exploration and innovation—including missions to the Moon and Mars,” the statement read.

The cuts come as the Trump administration had proposed a NASA budget prioritising crewed missions to the Moon and Mars, while making steep reductions to climate science and Earth observation programs.

The White House had emphasised its goal to outpace China in space exploration, aiming to “beat China back to the Moon and put the first human on Mars.” China plans its first crewed lunar landing by 2030, while the US-led Artemis programme has faced multiple delays.

NASA continues to operate under an acting administrator, after former President Trump’s nominee, tech billionaire Jared Isaacman, was ultimately rejected. Isaacman’s nomination had been backed by former Trump adviser Elon Musk.

The agency noted that final workforce numbers could still fluctuate in the coming weeks as the transition is finalised.