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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration will shed approximately 3,900 employees as part of U.S. President Donald Trump's broader initiative to reduce the federal workforce, even as the administration emphasizes ambitious plans for lunar and Mars missions.
NASA confirmed that about 3,000 employees participated in the second round of its deferred resignation program, which concluded Friday. This follows 870 workers who joined the first round, along with routine staff departures.
The cuts will reduce NASA's civil servant workforce from more than 18,000 when Trump assumed office in January to roughly 14,000 employees, representing a decline of more than 20%. Employees departing through the resignation program will be placed on administrative leave until their agreed-upon departure dates.
"Safety remains a top priority for our agency as we balance the need to become a more streamlined and more efficient organization and work to ensure we remain fully capable of pursuing a Golden Era of exploration and innovation, including to the Moon and Mars," NASA said in an emailed statement.
The workforce reduction coincides with the Trump administration's space policy priorities, which emphasize human exploration over scientific research. The administration's proposed NASA budget prioritizes returning astronauts to the Moon and eventual Mars missions while cutting funding for science and climate programs.
The White House has stated its goal of "beating China back to the Moon and putting the first human on Mars." This comes as China targets its first crewed lunar landing by 2030, while NASA's Artemis program has encountered multiple delays.
The space agency currently operates under acting leadership after Trump's initial choice for administrator, tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, was rejected despite endorsement from former Trump advisor Elon Musk.
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