Thousands of NASA staff likely to quit before getting fired

NASA is initiating a deferred resignation program (DRP) as it faces significant budget cuts, potentially returning to pre-Apollo funding levels. Over 2,000 senior staff plan to exit voluntarily. The agency has not confirmed the number of cuts, but morale is reportedly low among employees. The budget proposal reduces funding for Earth satellite missions and Solar System exploration while allocating over $4 billion for the Space Launch System. Additionally, a hiring freeze is in place, complicating the transfer of skills to newer staff members.

NASA is facing massive funding cuts that would put it back to pre-Apollo levels of budgets and staffing, leading to over 2,000 senior staff potentially leaving.

There is no set target number for the DRP. This program is a voluntary opportunity available to NASA employees as morale among staff declines.

Read at Theregister