Group 1 - NASA is expected to see approximately 20% of its workforce, around 3,870 employees, leave the agency, reducing the total number of employees to about 14,000 [1] - A letter titled "Voyager Declaration" from hundreds of current and former employees warns that the layoffs could jeopardize mission safety and execution efficiency [1] - The agency emphasizes that safety remains its top priority while striving for organizational efficiency and maintaining capabilities for key missions, including lunar and Mars exploration [1] Group 2 - The Trump administration has left the NASA leadership position vacant for over six months, with the temporary appointment of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy following the withdrawal of Jared Isaacman’s nomination [2] - NASA has faced significant challenges due to budget cuts, leading to personnel reductions and an aging workforce, with 40% of scientists and engineers over the age of 55 [2] - The agency experiences a 6% annual employee turnover rate, primarily due to retirements, and faces competition from private space companies for skilled talent [2] Group 3 - The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is facing unprecedented budget constraints in 2024, leading to layoffs, hiring freezes, and spending cuts [3] - JPL had to conduct layoffs affecting about 8% of its workforce due to funding losses in the Mars Sample Return project, impacting 532 full-time employees and at least 100 contractors [3] - NASA has canceled the VIPER lunar rover mission, which had already incurred over $400 million in expenses, as part of its budgetary measures [3] Group 4 - NASA's largest expenditure area is deep space exploration, with a budget request of $7.618 billion for fiscal year 2025, focusing on lunar and Mars missions [4] - The Mars Sample Return mission faces risks of being halted due to severe budget overruns and delays, with estimated costs ranging from $8 billion to $11 billion [4] - An independent review group has indicated that the original Mars Sample Return plan is unfeasible and has urged NASA to keep the total cost below $5.3 billion to protect other scientific missions [4]