NASA Faces Workforce Exodus as 4,000 Employees Opt for Deferred Resignation Program
The second round of deferred resignations for NASA staff closed recently, with roughly 3,000 employees applying to leave the agency. This follows an earlier round in which 870 employees opted to depart, bringing the total to nearly 4,000 workers—about 20 percent of NASA’s workforce.
The deferred resignation program was first introduced by the Trump administration in January as part of broader efforts to reduce the federal workforce. Under the initiative, employees were offered pay and benefits for a set period in exchange for voluntarily leaving their positions. The program was implemented under the guidance of DOGE, which was then led by Elon Musk.
The latest wave of departures comes amid proposed budget cuts that could severely impact NASA’s science programs and lead to thousands of job losses. Earlier reports indicated that over 2,000 senior NASA staff members had already agreed to leave, signaling a significant brain drain at the agency.
A group of current and former NASA employees has voiced concerns over the cuts, urging Interim NASA Administrator Sean Duffy to reject the proposed reductions. In a letter published last month, they warned that recent policies threaten to waste public resources, compromise safety, weaken national security, and undermine NASA’s core mission.
The agency now faces a critical challenge as it navigates these workforce reductions while maintaining its scientific and exploratory objectives. With nearly 4,000 employees set to depart, NASA’s ability to sustain its programs could be at risk, raising questions about the long-term impact of these cuts on space exploration and research.
