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

Verified

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

Key Takeaways:

Probationary NASA employees, previously anticipated to be laid off, have reportedly been exempted from termination for now, with notices not issued as expected.
Reports indicate an eleventh-hour reprieve from the White House, possibly due to the critical functions performed by these employees at several NASA centers.
While many probationary workers have kept their jobs this week, the full scope of these exemptions and the potential for future workforce reductions remain unclear.

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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.