Starting next year, nearly 3,900 employees could exit through a new Deferred Resignation Program, shrinking the agency just as key Artemis milestones approach.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is bracing for an unprecedented 20 percent staff reduction after President Donald Trump approved deep budget cuts. According to figures circulated internally and reported by The Nation, 3,870 workers are expected to depart before January 2026 via the newly created Deferred Resignation Program (DRP).
Deferred Resignation Program offers paid leave but slashes nearly four-thousand positions
Unlike mass layoffs, the DRP lets eligible employees step away on paid administrative leave and then resign. So, what’s in it for them? Supporters call the scheme a humane cushion, but critics argue it simply hides a pink slip behind a smile. The program rolled out in two waves:
| Phase | Date | Employees enrolled |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | February 2025 | 870 |
| 2 | July 2025 | 3,000 |
Those numbers stack atop hundreds who have already taken early-retirement or separation incentives.
Fearing a brain drain, scientists and engineers have penned the “Voyager Statement,” a letter to Interim Administrator Sean Duffy. They caution that thousands of departing specialists will walk out with decades of irreplaceable know-how. Who will guide the next generation of mission controllers if mentors vanish? More than 500 additional voluntary resignations have struck the agency since Trump returned to office, deepening the talent vacuum.
Budget reductions could derail Artemis Program and jeopardize deep space exploration goals
The White House blueprint slices NASA’s allocation by 24 percent in fiscal 2026, with some directorates facing 50 percent hits. In practical terms, the cuts threaten to stall—or outright cancel—flagship efforts such as the Artemis lunar landings and preparatory Mars missions. Key elements now on the chopping block include:
- crewed Artemis III landing architecture
- advanced propulsion research for Mars transit
- Earth-science observatories tracking critical climate variables
Consequently, project managers are already drafting contingency plans that shift schedules and trim objectives. Talk about tightening the belt, right?
NASA leaders insist the DRP prevents forced layoffs, yet the combined effect of resignations, retirements, and budget shrinkage may leave the agency understaffed precisely when bold exploration demands peak expertise. Stakeholders in Congress and the space community will need to move fast if they hope to safeguard America’s lunar and Martian ambitions.