NASA is going to lose many people.
Around 4,000 agency employees have chosen to accept the “resignation” option of the Trump administration, reducing the agency’s workforce more than 20%.
He comes courtesy of NASA News chief Cheryl Warner, who shared him in an email to reporters on Friday evening (25 July).
Decisioned resignation program (DRP)-Participants who pay the payment to an agreed-departure date on administrative leave-is part of the White House effort to reduce the spending across the government.
So far, NASA employees have two opportunities to apply on DRP. During the first phase, which had a February application deadline, about 870 employees, or 4.8% workforce, said Yes, Yes, according to Warner. The agency’s employees did about 3,000 – 16.4% – did this during the second phase, whose deadline was passed just before the midnight EDT on Friday. The number that includes those who opted for two equal programs, voluntary early retirement authority and voluntary separation incentive program.
The number may change slightly in the coming weeks, the Warner insisted. For example, some people may withdraw their resignation, and others may reject their applications.
NASA has lost about 500 people through normal attention since Trump took over in January. Warner said in the statement that the counting of those damage, NASA’s workforce would shrink to about 14,000 by January 9, 2026, when yes was said yes during the second phase of DRP.
Depending on those numbers, DRP and related efforts will be responsible for the deduction of NASA about 21%.
Buy is part of a solid White House effort to reduce NASA expenses. For example, in its 2026 federal budget request, Trump proposed to cut the overall funding of the agency by 24% and reduce the agency’s science budget by about half.
Such tricks have led to protests by scientists, engineers and regular people who care for space science and investigation. For example, around 300 NASA scientists recently signed the “Vyzer Declaration”, warning that the budget cut, if enacted, will have a devastating effect on American science and can affect astronaut safety.
