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5d ago

NASA Workforce to Shrink by Over 20% Under Deferred Resignation Program

Staff and lawmakers warn the voluntary buyout risks eroding specialized expertise crucial for NASA’s mission safety.

Approximately 3,870 NASA employees have opted to leave through the government’s Deferred Resignation Program
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Overview

  • NASA confirmed that 3,870 civil servants applied to leave under two rounds of its Deferred Resignation Program.
  • Combined with 500 regular attritions, these departures will shrink the civil servant workforce from around 18,000 to about 14,000.
  • NASA officials say the voluntary buyout is designed to prevent involuntary layoffs and maintain safety standards.
  • Critics warn the program will deplete specialized expertise essential for complex missions.
  • The White House’s May budget proposal seeks a 25% cut to NASA’s FY2026 funding, prompting lawmakers to challenge the preemptive downsizing as an overreach of congressional appropriations authority.