Layoffs expected at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena layoffs

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) engineers and technicians prepare the Europa Clipper spacecraft inside a Spacecraft Assembly Facility clean room at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) on April 11, 2023 in Pasadena, California. Photo credit Mario Tama/Getty Images

Additional layoffs at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena may be coming soon after a cut in funding for one of its major space projects.

The organization will be cutting the budget for JPL’s Mars sample return mission by more than 60%.. This drops the budget to just $300 million, compared to the $822 million budget projected from last year.

There were concerns about long delays and technical problems in the project, which was designed to bring Martian rocks and soil back to Earth in the next decade.

About 100 contractors at JPL were laid off last week due to the expected budget cut. Its director said many regular employees could be facing layoffs soon.

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Featured Image Photo Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images