NASA Faces "Extinction" Layoffs and Office Closures As Largest Budget Cut Since Apollo Begins

NASA has announced the closure of three offices and the layoff of 23 employees as part of a broader workforce reduction initiative mandated by the Trump administration.

The affected offices include the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy; the Office of the Chief Scientist; and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Branch of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

The layoffs mark the first phase of an agency-wide reduction in force (RIF), which NASA says aligns with an executive order issued by President Trump on February 11, directing federal agencies to significantly reduce personnel and reassess their structural efficiency.

NASA’s Workforce Optimization Initiative

NASA Acting Administrator Janet Petro confirmed the layoffs in a memo to employees, stating that the agency is complying with the administration’s directive to downsize the federal workforce.

“In compliance with this directive, we are actively working with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to develop a thoughtful approach that aligns with both administration priorities and our mission needs...While this will mean making difficult adjustments, we’re viewing this as an opportunity to reshape our workforce, ensuring we are doing what is statutorily required of us, while also providing American citizens with an efficient and effective agency.” - Janet Petro, NASA Acting Administrator Janet Petro

The agency anticipates further workforce reductions as part of the broader federal restructuring effort. Employees received notices regarding the RIF on March 10, and NASA leadership is expected to provide additional details in the coming weeks.

Impact on NASA’s Science and Technology Divisions

The Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy was established in 2021 to provide data-driven policy and strategic guidance for NASA, focusing on space sustainability and space-based solar power initiatives. The closure of this office raises concerns about the agency’s ability to navigate policy challenges in an evolving space industry.

Additionally, the elimination of the Office of the Chief Scientist, a position held since 2022 by climate scientist Kate Calvin, signals a shift in NASA’s priorities. The chief scientist has historically played a key advisory role in shaping NASA’s scientific research initiatives. While the position was briefly unfilled from 2005 to 2011, its removal now raises concerns about NASA’s ability to maintain its leadership in scientific research and climate monitoring.

NASA had already taken steps to shutter its diversity office, removing its Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity website on January 22, shortly after President Trump’s inauguration. The office’s closure follows the administration’s executive order terminating DEIA programs across federal agencies.

Wider Federal Workforce Reductions in Space-Related Agencies

NASA is not the only space-related agency experiencing layoffs and restructuring. Other federal departments involved in space operations have also begun implementing significant workforce reductions:

• Department of Defense (DoD): The Pentagon is planning a 7% budget cut and a 5-8% civilian workforce reduction, which could impact space-related defense programs. Layoffs within the Space Force and its Space Systems Command remain uncertain.

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): NOAA has already seen layoffs affecting as many as 880 employees, including staff from the Office of Space Commerce and the Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS), which manages space traffic regulation. These cuts could disrupt critical space traffic management initiatives.

• National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and National Reconnaissance Office (NRO): Employees in these intelligence agencies, which oversee satellite reconnaissance and geospatial analysis, have been offered voluntary resignation programs, though no major layoffs have been reported yet.

Potential “Extinction-Level” Budget Cuts Loom for NASA

Beyond workforce reductions, NASA is facing severe budgetary constraints. Sources familiar with the Trump administration’s upcoming budget proposal indicate that NASA’s science programs could see a drastic 50% funding cut for the 2026 fiscal year. Overall, the agency’s budget could be reduced by approximately 25%, the largest single-year funding reduction since the post-Apollo era.

The potential cuts have sparked alarm among space advocates.

“extinction event for space science and exploration in the United States.” - The Planetary Society

If enacted, these cuts could severely impact NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, which oversees planetary exploration, Earth observation, and astrophysics missions. The directorate, led by Nicola Fox, is responsible for some of NASA’s most celebrated scientific achievements, including the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter and the New Horizons mission to Pluto.

Despite widespread speculation, NASA has not yet received official confirmation of the proposed cuts.

“We haven't had any information yet about the budget, and I hate planning something on rumors and speculation,” - Nicola Fox, NASA’s Science Mission Directorate

What Comes Next?

The administration’s budget proposal is expected to be delayed, with House Republicans indicating it may not be released until late April or early May. Until then, NASA officials and congressional leaders will likely negotiate funding levels, determining the agency’s future priorities.

For now, the space community remains on edge, waiting to see how these workforce reductions and budgetary shifts will impact the agency’s ability to carry out its scientific and exploratory missions including the return to the moon and sending the first astronauts to Mars.