NASA Reverses Course on Firing 1,000 Probationary Employees

Space agency’s probationary personnel had expected to receive termination notices on Tuesday, but none came.

Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at 02:18 PM ET

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Employees at NASA’s Johnson Space Center were told they were exempt from an ‘impending layoff plan.’ [Courtesy: NASA/Bill Stafford]

Key Takeaways:

Earlier anticipated firings of over 1,000 probationary NASA employees did not occur as expected, with workers at several key centers reportedly exempted from the cuts.
The reprieve for these probationary staff is believed to be due to arguments that their jobs are "mission critical," though the exact reason remains unclear.
While probationary cuts are currently on hold, hundreds of other employees who opted for deferred resignation are still leaving, and the long-term job security for probationary workers remains uncertain with new guidance expected.

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Updated February 20 at 9:15 a.m. EST with comment from NASA.

Probationary NASA workers may be sticking around, at least for now, following earlier reports that the space agency was firing more than 1,000 employees.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.