Not even NASA is exempt from staff reductions, as the agency is reducing its workforce at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California by about 530 employees, which represents around eight percent of the facility’s staff. Additionally, JPL is also laying off approximately 40 contractors, following a recent hiring freeze and termination of 100 other contractors. The affected workers are being informed of the layoffs today. NASA stated, “After exhausting all other measures to adjust to a lower budget from NASA, and in the absence of an FY24 appropriation from Congress, we have had to make the difficult decision to reduce the JPL workforce through layoffs.” The agency noted that the impact of the layoffs will be felt across both technical and support areas of the Lab, and expressed that these adjustments are necessary to adhere to the budget while continuing important work for NASA and the nation.
Uncertainty surrounding the budget allocation from Congress for NASA in 2024 has been a significant factor in these staff reductions. The agency is expected to receive approximately $300 million for the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission, a substantial undertaking that aims to launch a lander and orbiter to Mars in 2028 to retrieve soil samples. The proposed 2024 budget for NASA includes a request for just under $950 million for the MSR project. JPL Director Laurie Leshin highlighted the need to take further significant action to reduce spending, stating, “While we still do not have an FY24 appropriation or the final word from Congress on our Mars Sample Return (MSR) budget allocation, we are now in a position where we must take further significant action to reduce our spending.”
Leshin also stressed the necessity of the action, noting that without an appropriation and if the agency were to delay this decision, it could lead to even deeper cuts later on. The estimated cost of the MSR mission has not been disclosed by NASA, although an independent report indicated a price range of between $8 billion and $11 billion. Furthermore, in the proposed 2024 budget, the Senate Appropriations subcommittee directed NASA to submit a year-by-year funding plan for MSR, warning that the mission could be canceled if NASA fails to comply. Despite the challenges, the Mars Sample Return mission has shown promise, with the Perseverance rover unearthing soil samples that contain evidence of organic matter – findings that hold potential for advancing our understanding of Mars and its history, including the possibility of past life on the planet.
