NASA’s JPL Lays Off 550 Employees

Center director Dave Gallagher says the move is not related to the ongoing government shutdown.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at 05:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California continues to downsize following two rounds of layoffs in 2024. [Courtesy: NASA/JPL-Caltech]

Key Takeaways:

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) announced it will lay off 550 employees (11% of its workforce) as part of a reorganization to create a leaner infrastructure for future success, claiming the move is unrelated to the ongoing government shutdown.
These layoffs occur amidst a broader White House initiative to significantly reduce the federal workforce and implement deep budget cuts, including a proposed 24% cut to NASA's overall funding and a one-third reduction in its staff by FY26.
The cuts at JPL and potential future reductions across NASA are raising concerns about the loss of scientific expertise, the future of critical missions, and American leadership in space exploration.

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NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) on Monday announced that it will lay off about 550 employees, or about 11 percent of its workforce.

According to JPL director Dave Gallagher, the move has nothing to do with the ongoing government shutdown, which the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has pledged to use as an opportunity to permanently thin the federal workforce.