Latest news with #TheVoyagerDeclaration
Hindustan Times
28-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
NASA to lose thousands of employees to voluntary resignation
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is set to lose nearly 4,000 employees as a result of a voluntary resignation programme, part of a broader push from President Donald Trump's administration to cut the federal workforce. The first round of resignations came at the beginning of the Trump administration when the workers received emails that offered them a buyout.(AFP/Representational Image) The exact number of employees can change as NASA reviews applications, reported Bloomberg, adding that the space agency will lose roughly 3,870 people. Talking about the resignations, NASA told Bloomberg that the agency is focusing on becoming more streamlined, with the main focus on safety. 'More efficient organisation and work will ensure we remain fully capable of pursuing a Golden Era of exploration and innovation, including to the Moon and Mars,' NASA said further. Through the government's Deferred Resignation Program, NASA gave its employees two opportunities in 2025 to leave the organisation. The agency says that its remaining civil servant workforce is expected to be about 14,000 people after both resignation programs. Two rounds of deferred resignation The first round of resignations came at the beginning of the Trump administration when the workers received emails that offered them a buyout. This effort was headed by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. As the offer spread, about 870 people or 4.8 per cent of the NASA employees, took the offer then. Meanwhile, the second round of deferred resignation began in early June, with the deadline to choose by July 25. This offer was then taken up by about 3,000 personnel, or 16.4% of the workforce, as per NASA. Deferred resignation as way to avoid layoffs Executives at NASA have encouraged deferred resignation as a way to avoid layoffs, to reduce the workforce and comply with the trump administration's goal of reducing the workforce. According to an audio recording obtained by Bloomberg, Janet Petro said during an emergency town hall meeting in June that the reason NASA is doing this is to minimise the involuntary cutback in workforce in the future. 'That is our whole goal, minimising that,' he said further. In February, NASA sought a 'blanket waiver' to protect the agency's probationary employees from layoffs. Concerns of NASA losing talent The prospects of mass cutoffs have raised concerns in the agency, with some experts arguing that this can cause NASA to lose some of the best talent within the agency. A letter to the newly appointed NASA interim administrator, Sean Duffy, signed by hundreds of former and current employees, warned the agency about the potential harm of workforce reductions. The letter titled 'The Voyager Declaration' stated that the cutback could jeopardise the safety and efficiency of operations. It talked about the thousands of civil servant employees who have already been terminated, resigned or taken an early retirement, ' taking with them highly specialised, irreplaceable knowledge crucial to carrying out NASA's mission,' the letter said, highlighting the consequences of the workforce reduction.
Time of India
27-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
‘NASA is under attack': Massive NASA layoffs see 20% staff fired amid Donald Trump's fund cuts; nationwide protests erupt
Image: Nearly 20% of NASA's workforce — approximately 3,870 employees — have exited the agency following major funding cuts under the Trump administration's plan to downsize federal agencies. The layoffs stem from the Deferred Resignation Program, with officials describing the move as an effort to make NASA 'leaner and more efficient.' The decision has triggered widespread backlash from scientists, engineers, and space policy experts, who warn of serious risks to the agency's future missions. Nationwide protests erupted over the weekend, with current and former employees calling the move a direct threat to America's leadership in space. NASA fires thousands under federal downsizing drive The second round of the Deferred Resignation Program, which closed late Friday, saw roughly 3,000 resignations on top of 870 from the first wave of departures after Trump returned to office. Including regular attrition, NASA's workforce has shrunk from over 18,000 to around 14,000, marking a 20% reduction. Those resigning have been placed on administrative leave until their official exit. The move was orchestrated under the Department of Government Efficiency, currently led by Elon Musk. NASA insists that safety remains a top priority, yet internal experts are raising alarms about the loss of institutional knowledge and highly skilled personnel. With Mars and Moon missions central to the Trump administration's ambitions, critics argue these cuts threaten mission readiness. Former NASA officials and space industry leaders are questioning the agency's capacity to manage complex space programs in the coming years. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Live Comfortably: 60m2 prefabricated bungalow for the elderly in Tebas Pre Fabricated Homes | Search Ads Search Now Undo Protests erupt over 'brain drain' and loss of legacy Protests have broken out in several cities including Houston, Washington D.C., and Cape Canaveral, where current and former NASA staff, union representatives, and supporters gathered to oppose the mass layoffs. A letter titled The Voyager Declaration, signed by hundreds of former employees, warns that irreplaceable expertise is being lost at a critical moment for U.S. space exploration. 'This is not streamlining,' one protestor said, 'this is sabotage.' Doubts over leadership as Trump's NASA pick falters Adding to the turmoil, NASA is still being led by an acting administrator after tech billionaire Jared Isaacman, Trump's initial nominee backed by Elon Musk, was rejected for the role. In the absence of permanent leadership, critics argue that the agency is navigating its most challenging transformation without a clear long-term vision or stable command structure.
Business Times
26-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Nasa says thousands of employees set to resign from space agency
[WASHINGTON] National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) will lose roughly 3,870 employees through a voluntary resignation programme, part of a broad push from US President Donald Trump's administration to reduce the federal workforce. The numbers are subject to change as Nasa reviews applications, including if an employee withdraws from the programme or a resignation is not approved, the US space agency said on Friday (Jul 25). 'Safety remains a top priority for our agency as we balance the need to become a more streamlined and more efficient organisation and work to ensure we remain fully capable of pursuing a Golden Era of exploration and innovation, including to the Moon and Mars,' Nasa said. Nasa has offered employees two separate opportunities in 2025 to leave through the government's Deferred Resignation Programme. The agency said its expected remaining civil servant workforce would be about 14,000 people, following both resignation programmes, as well as normal attrition of about 500 people over the same time period. The first round came during the start of the Trump administration when federal workers received e-mails offering them the opportunity to take a buyout, an effort spearheaded by the Elon Musk-helmed Department of Government Efficiency. About 870 people, or 4.8 per cent of the Nasa workforce, took the offer then. Nasa initiated its own second round of deferred resignation beginning in early June, with a deadline to opt in by Jul 25. About 3,000 personnel, or 16.4 per cent of the workforce, took it up, the agency said on Friday. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Executives at the space agency, who have been working to reduce headcount to comply with the Trump administration's goal of shrinking the federal workforce, have spearheaded deferred resignation as a way to avoid layoffs. 'The reason we are doing this is to minimise any involuntary workforce reductions in the future,' Nasa's former acting administrator Janet Petro said during an agency town hall on Jun 25, according to an audio recording obtained by Bloomberg. 'That is our whole goal, minimising that.' Nasa had sought a 'blanket waiver' in February to save all of the agency's probationary employees from layoffs. The prospect of a mass exodus of employees from Nasa has raised alarm bells within the industry and at the agency, with some experts arguing that the cuts will cause Nasa to lose some of its best talent. In a letter to newly appointed Nasa interim administrator Sean Duffy titled The Voyager Declaration, hundreds of former and current employees warned Duffy, who is also the head of the Transportation Department, that workforce reductions could jeopardise the safety and efficiency of operations. 'Thousands of Nasa civil servant employees have already been terminated, resigned or retired early, taking with them highly specialised, irreplaceable knowledge crucial to carrying out Nasa's mission,' they wrote in the letter to Duffy. BLOOMBERG
Hindustan Times
26-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
NASA fires 20% staff to make itself more 'efficient', 2nd layoffs since Trump took office
Roughly 20% of the workforce at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is set to depart the agency, a spokesperson confirmed Friday, marking a significant shift as the space agency grapples with restructuring under the Trump administration's broader push to reduce the size of the federal government. Approximately 3,870 NASA employees have opted to leave through the government's Deferred Resignation Program(AI-generated image) Approximately 3,870 NASA employees have opted to leave through the government's Deferred Resignation Program, though the agency noted the figure may change in the coming weeks as applications are finalized or withdrawn. After the resignations and natural attrition are accounted for, NASA expects to maintain a civil servant workforce of about 14,000. The reduction, described by the agency as an effort to become 'streamlined and more efficient,' comes amid rising concerns about the potential impact on NASA's mission readiness and safety standards. 'Safety remains a top priority for our agency as we balance the need to become a more streamlined and more efficient organization and work to ensure we remain fully capable of pursuing a Golden Era of exploration and innovation, including to the Moon and Mars,' NASA said in a statement. This is the second major wave of departures since President Donald Trump re-entered office and resumed efforts to shrink the federal workforce. The first round, initiated shortly after his inauguration, offered a buyout to federal workers, resulting in the voluntary departure of around 870 NASA employees—roughly 4.8% of its workforce at the time. That effort was coordinated by the Department of Government Efficiency, now led by tech entrepreneur Elon Musk. The latest round, launched in early June with a deadline to opt in by July 25, saw around 3,000 additional personnel—about 16.4% of the agency—choose to leave. The program is designed to minimize the need for involuntary layoffs, NASA officials said. 'The reason we are doing this is to minimize any involuntary workforce reductions in the future,' former acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro said during a June 25 agency town hall. 'That is our whole goal, minimizing that.' Future of space agency in jeopardy? Despite reassurances, the departures have ignited debate within the scientific community and inside NASA itself. A growing chorus of current and former employees are warning that the agency may be shedding too much too quickly—at the cost of deep institutional knowledge and mission-critical expertise. In a letter addressed to interim Administrator Sean Duffy, who also heads the Department of Transportation, hundreds of current and former NASA employees expressed concern over the cuts. The letter, titled 'The Voyager Declaration,' cautioned that the agency's ability to execute its complex missions could be compromised. 'Thousands of NASA civil servant employees have already been terminated, resigned or retired early, taking with them highly specialized, irreplaceable knowledge crucial to carrying out NASA's mission,' the letter reads. NASA had earlier sought a 'blanket waiver' in February to protect its probationary employees from layoffs. However, the mass departure now underway highlights the limits of those protective measures.
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Business Standard
26-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Nearly 4,000 Nasa workers set to exit voluntarily: Here's why it matters
Leadership turns to voluntary exits to avoid layoffs, but experts warn of long-term impact on missions and innovation New Delhi Nasa is set to lose close to 3,870 employees under a voluntary resignation initiative, which is a part of a broader push by the Trump administration to reduce the federal workforce. The figures, though substantial, remain provisional as the agency continues reviewing applications and accounting for withdrawals or unapproved resignations, Nasa said in a statement on July 25. The space agency reassured that safety would remain a priority even as it transitions to become a 'more streamlined and efficient organisation'. What is the voluntary resignation programme? The Deferred Resignation Programme (DRP) is an initiative introduced under the Trump administration. It offers eligible Nasa employees a structured exit path, providing severance benefits and continued pay during a transitional period. The programme is aimed at helping the agency reduce its workforce without resorting to compulsory layoffs. In 2025, Nasa extended two opportunities for staff to participate in the DRP. The first round came early in the Trump presidency, when around 870 employees—about 4.8 per cent of the workforce—accepted voluntary exits. This move formed part of a wider federal efficiency push, reportedly guided by the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency. The second round, launched in June 2025, saw a much stronger response. By the July 25 deadline, nearly 3,000 workers—approximately 16.4 per cent of the workforce—had opted to resign under the scheme. Leadership focuses on voluntary cuts to avoid layoffs Nasa officials have maintained that the initiative is designed to prevent forced layoffs. 'Our primary objective is to minimise involuntary workforce reductions,' said former acting administrator Janet Petro during a town hall on June 25. Earlier this year, the agency even sought a blanket waiver to protect employees in their probationary period from being laid off. Experts warn of knowledge drain and operational risks The scale of the departures has raised alarm among space industry veterans and insiders. Many fear the agency will lose specialised talent critical to its ambitious space missions, including exploration of the Moon and Mars. In a letter titled 'The Voyager Declaration', hundreds of current and former Nasa staff urged interim administrator Sean Duffy—who also serves as head of the Department of Transportation—to reconsider the scale of the cuts. The letter warned that a substantial loss of expertise could undermine the safety, innovation, and success of Nasa's future endeavours.
