NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory: Another 550 employees set to leave the building

US government shutdown nothing to do with action as space veteran calls move 'an alarming time' for science

The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is facing another round of layoffs, with 550 additional employees set to lose their jobs.

... what the US doesn't seem to wake up to is this having an effect upon science and technology in general ...

An update posted on October 13 from JPL Director Dave Gallagher described a "realignment" of the JPL workforce, including a reduction in staff. Approximately 550 employees across the organization are set to be notified today, October 14.

Gallagher wrote, "We are taking steps to restructure and establish an appropriate size to ensure future success."

This marks the latest in a series of cuts. In November 2024, following an earlier round, the then director Laurie Leshin said, "I believe this is a stable, supportable staffing level moving forward." Leshin left JPL in May 2025 and was replaced by Gallagher, a JPL veteran.

Gallagher said the 550 job losses are due to a reorganization that began in July and is "not related to the current government shutdown."

"This week's action, while not easy, is essential to securing JPL's future by creating a leaner infrastructure, focusing on our core technical capabilities, maintaining fiscal discipline, and positioning us to compete in the evolving space ecosystem — all while continuing to deliver on our vital work for NASA and the nation."

JPL is not part of NASA – it is run by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) – yet it is heavily dependent on funding from the space agency. JPL was responsible for missions such as the Voyager probes and the US Mars rovers, including Curiosity and Perseverance. As such, a tightening of NASA's budget – should it happen – would have an impact on JPL.

The layoffs are a tragedy for those involved and bode ill for the US's supremacy in space. In the short term, slowing down work in an engineering project could result in missing a launch window, while in the longer term there is a real risk that the next generation of engineers might choose to pass on JPL and NASA. There's also a the potential effect on morale, with those still working in the organization deciding to move on to other opportunities.

One of the original Voyager scientists, Garry Hunt, told The Register that he was relieved his JPL career was over and so was not directly affected by the uncertainty. "This is an alarming time, and what the US doesn't seem to wake up to is this having an effect upon science and technology in general.

"This is an area which produces talented people and helps them in their careers. [But] they'll move away from it now."

The Register was told last week that, "The general feeling [at JPL] is one of doom and gloom."

Hunt knows all about the consequences of delays to missions. The Voyager spacecraft were launched during a once-in-175-year opportunity on a grand tour of the Solar System. Missing the launch window was not an option. ®