Overview

• The agency plans to cut about 3,870 positions, bringing its staff down to roughly 14,000 from more than 18,000 before these measures.
• President Trump’s budget shifts funding toward crewed lunar and Mars exploration while trimming research and climate programs.
• The workforce reduction is organized through a multi-phase deferred-separation program, with nearly 3,000 employees in its second round.
• Sean Duffy became interim NASA administrator after Trump withdrew Jared Isaacman’s nomination, and headcount figures could shift slightly in the coming weeks.
• Despite the cuts, NASA pledges to uphold safety and pursue what it describes as a “golden era of exploration and innovation.”