Mass Exit at NASA? Report Says 2,000 Senior Officials May Leave

As many as 2,145 senior-ranked employees at the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration are set to leave under a push to shed staff, a Politico report said on Wednesday while citing several documents obtained by the news outlet.

Why Are These NASA Employees Leaving?

Most of these employees are in GS-13 to GS-15 positions, senior level government ranks, according to the report.

The reason behind them leaving is that that the agency has offered its staff early retirement, buyouts as well as deferred resignations.

What Did NASA Say About This?

A Reuters report cited the spokesperson of NASA, Bethany Stevens saying, "NASA remains committed to our mission as we work within a more prioritized budget."

What Is Trump Administrations Ulterior Motive?

Additionally, under the administration of the United States President Donald Trump, the nation's space industry especially in the recent months and NASA's workforce of 18,000 have been wobbling by impending layoffs and proposed budget cuts which would cancel dozens of science programs, while the US space agency remains without a confirmed administrator.

Further, Trump's nominee for NASA administrator, Musk's ally and billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman, was an early casualty of Musk's rift with the President when the White House had abruptly removed him from consideration last month, denying Elon Musk his pick to lead the space agency.

After Donald Trump's breakout with Elon Musk, nearly $22 billion of SpaceX's government contracts are at risk and multiple US space programs have faced dramatic changes.

NASA's mission portfolio spans earth sciences, planetary exploration, crewed spaceflight, and international collaborations, with a workforce of nearly 18,000 employees. The organization has not yet made public the full impact of the departures or how it plans to manage the transition.

Also Read: Reliance Jio IPO Delayed? Telecom Major Plans To Focus On Growth And Valuation