What’s at Stake for NASA If Government Shuts Down

Office of Management and Budget directs federal agencies to draft plans for layoffs in the event of a shutdown.

Jack Daleo

Friday, September 26, 2025 at 02:00 PM ET

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Jack Daleo

Near NASA’s Mary W. Jackson headquarters in Washington, D.C., some lawmakers are pushing for a measure that would protect NASA employees during a government shutdown. [Courtesy: NASA/Joel Kowsky]

Key Takeaways:

NASA faces significant uncertainty due to a looming government shutdown and an OMB directive for permanent federal employee layoffs (RIFs) rather than temporary furloughs.
The President's FY26 budget proposal outlines drastic cuts to NASA's overall funding (25%) and workforce (one-third to Apollo-era levels), specifically reducing science mission funding by 47% while increasing focus on Mars exploration.
Lawmakers, unions, and science advocacy groups are strongly opposing these proposed cuts and RIFs, pushing for congressional action to protect NASA's existing science missions and programs.
The White House has reclassified NASA, effectively ending collective bargaining rights for its employees by excluding the agency from the Federal Service Labor Management Statute.

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Amid a looming government shutdown, NASA’s future hinges on whether Congress can pass a stopgap funding measure with protective language for the agency.

On Wednesday, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) moved to permanently axe federal employees—breaking from the precedent of issuing temporary furloughs—in the event of a shutdown. In a memo, OMB directed agencies to draft reductions in force (RIFs) for programs, projects, or activities that would lose discretionary funding on October 1, the start of fiscal year 2026 (FY26) and the deadline to fund the government.