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NASA Loses More Than 2,100 Senior Staff to Voluntary Departures

Voluntary departures reflect a White House proposal to cut NASA’s science funding by nearly half

The NASA logo hangs in the Mission Operations Control Center at Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia, U.S., October 26, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo
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Overview

  • More than 2,145 senior staff members have opted for early retirement, buyouts or deferred resignations, with 1,818 serving in science or human spaceflight roles.
  • The mass exits follow a Trump administration FY2026 proposal to slash NASA’s budget by over $6 billion and cut its science spending by nearly half.
  • NASA remains without a Senate-confirmed administrator after the White House withdrew the nomination of private astronaut Jared Isaacman.
  • Former agency leaders warn that losing specialized personnel could jeopardize flagship missions like the Gateway lunar station, Mars Sample Return, and planned climate and Venus missions.
  • A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers and seven former heads of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate have urged Congress to reject the cuts to preserve U.S. space leadership.