Overview

• Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) announces layoffs of 530 employees and 40 contractors due to budget cuts, affecting 8% of its workforce.
• The layoffs are a response to a significant reduction in funding for the Mars Sample Return mission, with NASA instructing JPL to expect a budget of $300 million, a 63% drop.
• Bipartisan criticism from California's Congressional delegation, with calls to reverse the budget cuts and restore funding to the Mars Sample Return mission.
• The layoffs come amid challenges for the Mars Sample Return mission, a partnership with the European Space Agency aimed at bringing Martian soil back to Earth.
• Employees affected by the layoffs will receive their salary for 60 days, along with severance packages and transitional benefits.