JPL statement issued on Nov. 12, 2024: “While we have taken various measures to meet our current FY’25 budget allocation, we have reached the difficult decision to reduce the JPL workforce through layoffs. This reduction affects approximately 325 of our colleagues, an impact of about 5% of our workforce. The impacts are occurring across technical, business, and support areas of the Laboratory. These are painful but necessary adjustments that will enable us to adhere to our budget while continuing our important work for NASA and our nation. The following is a memo sent earlier today from JPL Director Laurie Leshin to employees:”
Biologist, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA Space Biologist and Payload integrator, Editor of NASAWatch.com and Astrobiology.com, Lapsed climber, Explorer, Synaesthete, Former Challenger Center board member... More by Keith Cowing
Rather than slash some of the wasteful bloat at HQ (QAD I’m looking at you), the Agency decided to cut jobs were actual Agency mission gets accomplished. Exactly the opposite of what is needed.
Always fun being on travel and actually working on a spacecraft when you get this kind of email. Crunching along in a bunny-suit in Boulder waiting the email of doom.