NASA staff cuts hit 25 major programs

NASA lost 22% of its civilian workforce in one year, affecting 25 of the agency’s 36 largest programs, according to a warning from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). The agency could face delayed work, overtime and additional costs in the coming months as it struggles to replace engineers and program managers.

The sharpest decline came at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, where staffing fell 34%. The DAVINCI mission to Venus has already lost some key specialists, forcing changes to its preparatory schedule. Major human-spaceflight programs were also affected: Orion lost about 10% of its staff, while staffing for the Space Launch System (SLS) fell by nearly 20%.

Schedule and cost impact

The schedule effects have so far appeared limited. Two projects slipped by only one month over the year, while the IMAP mission launched earlier than planned. Costs, however, have worsened: overruns across major programs reached $478.2 million, with most of that amount tied to SLS Block 1B and Orion.

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The Psyche mission shows how staffing gaps can spread through complex programs. A shortage of personnel previously delayed its launch by one year and added $132 million in costs.

GAO linked the workforce reduction to early-retirement programs. While those initiatives reduced headcount on paper, they also removed people responsible for highly specialized technical work. The agency is short of expertise in aerospace, mechanical, electrical and computer engineering, as well as IT and cybersecurity.

NASA relies heavily on contractors, but its programs still need permanent specialists who understand a project’s history, documentation and engineering trade-offs. Replacing those employees quickly is difficult, particularly on expensive and already troubled programs such as Orion and SLS. The staffing losses could also undermine NASA’s ability to maintain the next phase of its Artemis schedule.

NASA’s hiring plans

NASA is considering moving some contractors into permanent roles and launching the NASA Force program to bring technical specialists in for temporary assignments. The measures are intended to address the most urgent gaps faster than standard hiring allows.

The agency’s broader staffing strategy has not been finalized. Its scale will depend on NASA’s budget for fiscal year 2027—and on whether Congress approves funding without further delays. GAO said the most serious effects of the cuts may still be ahead, leaving SLS, Orion and missions such as DAVINCI with little schedule margin.