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:

A looming government shutdown, combined with an OMB directive for permanent reductions in force (RIFs) rather than furloughs, threatens NASA's workforce and projects if Congress fails to pass a protective funding measure.
The President's Budget Request (PBR) for FY26 proposes significant cuts to NASA's overall budget (25%) and workforce (one-third), drastically reducing science mission funding (47%) while prioritizing Mars exploration.
A broad coalition of lawmakers, advocacy groups, and unions is opposing the proposed cuts and RIFs, pushing for "anomaly" language in any continuing resolution to protect NASA's science programs and personnel.
The White House has separately reclassified NASA, effectively ending collective bargaining rights for its employees, a move that is being challenged by unions.

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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.