The Planetary Society Strongly Opposes Mass Layoffs of Probationary Employees at NASA

Pasadena, CA (February 18, 2025) — The Planetary Society, the world’s largest independent space advocacy organization, issued the following statement following reports that every probationary employee at NASA may have their employment abruptly terminated:

The Planetary Society strongly opposes the sudden, indiscriminate dismissal of upwards of 1,000 scientists, engineers, and explorers at NASA — the largest involuntary workforce reduction since the end of the Apollo program. While we recognize the value of improved efficiency and structural optimization, any workforce changes should be in service of improving the agency’s ability to execute its mission. Indiscriminate layoffs do not serve this purpose.

These public servants — many of whom are just starting their careers— represent the future of NASA. Their removal does not reflect their abilities or commitment to advancing U.S. interests in space, only that they chose to join the nation’s space agency within the past year.

We urge the Trump Administration to reverse this arbitrary decision and work with Congress and other stakeholders to define a clear strategy for continued U.S. leadership in space and to ensure the nation’s space agency has the workforce necessary to succeed in its mission.

NASA provides a 3-to-1 return on the taxpayer's investment, according to recent economic analyses, generating more than $75 billion in the U.S. economy and supporting over 300,000 jobs across the country. Furthermore, data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis indicates that investments by government programs have been the primary growth driver of the American space economy, while private sector GDP has fallen an average of 3.0% between 2018 and 2022. Any significant downturn in federal investments in NASA will have severe ramifications for the overall space economy and American capabilities in space exploration.

Historically, NASA has been a unifying force in the American political system and across the globe. Upon the inauguration of President Trump, The Planetary Society submitted recommendations for the administration to embrace the unique role of NASA to make major advancements in space exploration over the next four years. The full set of policy recommendations is available online or via this PDF document.

Press Resources

Casey Dreier, Chief of Space Policy, is available for interviews. Please arrange with Danielle Gunn, chief communications officer, at [email protected].

The Planetary Society's Space Policy Recommendations to the Second Trump Administration:

• Webpage
• PDF Download

Charts: NASA's workforce over time