WASHINGTON — NASA did not carry out a widely expected layoff of 1,000 or more employees Feb. 18, but the last-minute reprieve may only be temporary.
The agency was expected to fire “probationary” civil servants, a category of employees that primarily includes those in their first year on the job but can also include those who have recently moved into new positions or changed agencies. Such employees have limited civil-service protections. The cuts were planned as part of sweeping layoffs across the federal government by the Trump administration with the stated purpose of reducing costs.
Multiple agency sources, speaking on background, said they were told to expect probationary employees to be fired across the agency Feb. 18, which were amplified by news reports that stated that the firings would take place. They estimated at least 1,000 people were in danger of losing their jobs.
However, by the end of the day, there were no reports of layoffs of any magnitude across NASA facilities. Some said they were told that their specific centers, such as the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland and Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, were excluded, but given no reason for the exclusion.
That exclusion appeared to extend to all NASA facilities, at least for now. One possibility, sources said, is that NASA was able to successfully lobby the White House to stop the firings because of the critical nature of their work. If so, it would be an exception as layoffs continued at other federal agencies.
That included the National Science Foundation, which fired 168 people, about 10% of its workforce, Feb. 18. Those layoffs reported included both probationary employees as well as some others working at the agency on a temporary basis as subject matter experts.
“Indiscriminately firing 10% of NSF’s workforce today is a massive mistake that will hurt our ability to compete globally, especially with China,” said Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Haley Stevens (D-Mich.), ranking members of the House Science Committee and its research committee, respectively, in a Feb. 18 statement. “These federal employees have dedicated themselves to strengthening American science. They deserve better than this.”
NASA was also facing a 10% cut in employees when the planned probationary firings were combined with those who voluntarily took buyouts through the Deferred Resignation Program, where employees resign but continue to be paid through the end of the fiscal year. At least 750 NASA employees signed up for the program, according to sources, although the agency has not released a specific number.
The Planetary Society, an advocacy group, estimated that the 10% cut would have been the largest single reduction in force at the agency since the end of the Apollo program more than a half-century ago. “While we recognize the value of improved efficiency and structural optimization, any workforce changes should be in service of improving the agency’s ability to execute its mission. Indiscriminate layoffs do not serve this purpose,” it said in a statement opposing the anticipated firings.
“Indiscriminately firing the next generation of NASA scientists, engineers and wider team members is exactly the wrong step to secure America’s leadership in space — just as competition with China is reaching fever pitch,” said Rep. George Whitesides (D-Calif.), a former NASA chief of staff, in a social media post Feb. 18.
The reprieve from the layoffs may only be temporary, though. Some sources said they were informed that firings of at least some probationary employees may still take place by the end of the month.
NASA, like other agencies, has also been instructed to prepare for what could be larger cuts to its workforce. A Feb. 11 executive order by President Trump told agencies that they could hire only one new employee for every four that leave while preparing for potentially massive layoffs. “Agency Heads shall promptly undertake preparations to initiate large-scale reductions in force,” it states, but does not define “large-scale” in terms of the number of employees or fraction of the workforce.
“Your leaders are tracking the recent executive order calling for agencies to undertake preparations to initiate large-scale reductions in force, among other things,” NASA Acting Administrator Janet Petro wrote in a Feb. 14 memo to agency employees. “We are currently awaiting further guidance and will keep you posted as we learn more.”
