JPL, the research and development lab funded by NASA and managed by Caltech, has announced a significant reduction in its workforce. The decision comes as a result of a lower budget from NASA and the absence of an FY24 appropriation from Congress.

The reduction will impact approximately 530 JPL employees, which accounts for about 8% of the workforce, and around 40 additional members of the contractor workforce. The layoffs will affect both technical and support areas of the Lab.

In a memo to employees, JPL Director Laurie Leshin explained the necessity of the decision, citing the lack of an approved federal budget and final allocation for Mars Sample Return (MSR) FY24 funding levels. NASA had directed JPL to plan for an MSR budget of $300M, representing a 63% decrease over the FY23 level, based on the low end of congressional markups of NASA’s budget.

Despite efforts to mitigate the impact, including a hiring freeze, reduced contracts, and cuts to burden budgets, the organization found it necessary to proceed with the workforce reduction to align with the lower budget levels. The aim is to protect against even deeper cuts later in the fiscal year.

The decision, while difficult, is deemed necessary to ensure JPL can continue its important work for NASA and the nation amidst budget constraints.