NASA will lose more than 2,000 top employees because of Trump’s budget
By ForGeeks
If the White House’s 2026 budget proposals are approved, NASA could find itself in a dire predicament – the agency risks losing 2,145 key professionals, Politico reports.
The losses come amid the Donald Trump administration’s push to cut spending. The mass exodus could seriously damage future missions and research, especially as the agency prepares to send a new group of astronauts to the moon in 2026.
A massive outflow of personnel could seriously damage future missions and research, especially as it prepares to send a new group of astronauts to the moon in 2026.
Thousands of professionals with critical skills
According to Politico, 1,818 of the departing employees are involved in missions related to science and manned flight. The rest are in support roles ranging from IT to finance to infrastructure management.
And the rest are in support roles from IT to finance to infrastructure management.
The cuts will affect all of NASA’s regional centers. For example, 311 people are leaving Kennedy Space Center and 366 are leaving Johnson Space Center. Both centers play a key role in the agency’s operations: Kennedy is responsible for rocket launches, and the Johnson Space Center is responsible for coordinating manned missions.
The cuts are only half of what’s planned
Politico clarifies that these voluntary layoffs are only half of the total cuts called for in the draft budget. The Trump administration is proposing more than $6 billion in cuts to NASA’s 2025 budget, which could jeopardize a number of projects, including the construction of the near-lunar Gateway station.
Although Congress still has a chance to adjust the budget bill, the effects are already being felt. Given that the current layoffs are self-initiated by employees, there has been no way to avoid losses. At the same time, commercial space is booming, and former NASA professionals still have ample job prospects in the private sector.
The story NASA to lose more than 2,000 top employees over Trump’s budget was first published on ITZine.ru.
