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NASA Shuts Down Key Science and DEI Offices Under Trump Administration Orders

The closures and layoffs of 23 employees signal a shift in NASA's priorities toward exploration and away from climate research and diversity initiatives.

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Director of NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center Janet Petro speaks ahead of the Crew-7 mission launch to the International Space Station on the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft, at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S. August 20, 2023. REUTERS/Joe Skipper/File Photo
NASA's Office of the Chief Scientist, led by Kate Calvin since 2022, is among the offices NASA announced March 10 it is closing.
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Overview

  • NASA has closed three offices: the Office of the Chief Scientist, the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy, and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) branch.
  • The closures are part of a broader federal workforce reduction mandated by President Trump's executive orders aimed at cost-cutting and eliminating DEI programs.
  • Katherine Calvin, NASA's Chief Scientist and Senior Climate Advisor, was among 23 employees laid off, leaving the agency without a Chief Scientist for the foreseeable future.
  • The cuts come as NASA faces potential further reductions in its science budget, raising concerns about the future of its climate research and Earth science programs.
  • Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro described the reductions as a necessary step to align with administration priorities while reshaping the agency's workforce.