The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) said it is laying off over 500 employees, citing lower funding from NASA and a lack of appropriation from Congress for the new fiscal year.
“These cuts are among the most challenging that we have had to make even as we have sought to reduce our spending in recent months,” she stated.
Ms. Leshin said the lab is still waiting for Congress’ “final word” on the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission.
“Without an approved federal budget including final allocation for MSR FY24 funding levels, NASA previously directed JPL to plan for an MSR budget of $300 million.
“This is consistent with the low end of congressional markups of NASA’s budget and a 63 percent decrease over the FY23 level,” she added.
Ms. Leshin said the lab has tried taking cost-cutting measures to protect its workforce, including a hiring freeze, reducing MSR contracts, and budget cuts.
“Unfortunately, those actions alone are not enough for us to make it through the remainder of the fiscal year,” she said.
“So in the absence of an appropriation, and as much as we wish we didn’t need to take this action, we must now move forward to protect against even deeper cuts later were we to wait.”
Most JPL employees have been asked to work from home. Those affected by layoffs will be notified and will continue to receive their base pay and benefits through their 60-day notice period.
Ms. Leshin stated that eligible impacted employees will be offered a severance package and transitional benefits including placement services.
‘Devastating Blow’ to US Space Effort
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), in whose 30th congressional district JPL is located, described JPL’s workforce reduction as “a devastating blow” to those involved in the Mars mission and to American leadership in space exploration and scientific innovation.“The fact that NASA put JPL in the position to have to undertake such cuts flies in the face of Congressional intent and raises real concerns about our budgeting process for projects of this magnitude.”
Originally proposed as a $5.3 billion operation, the MSR mission has spent approximately $2 billion already in research and preparation. Current estimates to complete the objective trend as high as $11 billion, according to the space agency.
More than 40 bipartisan California lawmakers led by Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) have urged the White House Office of Management and Budget to reverse the budget cuts.
“If this uniquely talented workforce is lost to the private sector, it will be near impossible to reassemble.
“All told, these layoffs will result in decades worth of lost science, undermining the years of hard work and investments already put into NASA’s Mars Exploration Program and threatening the many years of future scientific discovery and innovation to come,” they added.
