NASA’s iconic Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has faced significant workforce reductions in 2024, with two rounds of layoffs affecting 855 employees since the end of 2024. These cuts stem from budget constraints and shifting priorities within NASA’s funding allocations.

The 13% reduction in the workforce affected the technical staff, especially those associated with the Mars Sample Return mission.

One issue is that the funds that the lab would receive for its role in the ambitious, multi-billion dollar Mars Sample Return mission were sharply reduced from over $900 million to around just $300 million this year. The mission’s future remains uncertain, pending a further review that could decide its fate.

These latest cuts don’t necessarily pertain to the Mars mission specifically, according to the memo, and were taken to fall within available funds for the 2025 federal fiscal year, which commenced in October...