Overview

• NASA announced that about 3,870 employees have accepted buyouts under two Deferred Resignation Programs and that another 500 are expected to leave through normal attrition by January 2026, cutting its civil service roster from nearly 18,000 to around 14,000.
• Many of those opting for early exits are senior staffers with specialized expertise, prompting former Hubble astronaut Dr John Grunsfeld and other observers to warn of a significant brain drain that could disrupt mission continuity.
• On July 21, 363 current and former NASA personnel signed the Voyager Declaration, criticizing “rapid and wasteful changes” and urging agency leaders to halt further cuts to safeguard safety and scientific objectives.
• The White House’s FY2026 budget proposal calls for reducing NASA’s civil servant workforce to 11,853, and agency officials have warned that involuntary layoffs could follow if voluntary departures fail to reach that goal.
• Lawmakers in both parties have introduced bipartisan appropriations bills aimed at restoring NASA’s funding to FY2025 levels and blocking unauthorized staff reductions, setting up a showdown over the agency’s exploration priorities.