Nearly 4,000 NASA employees—over 20% of its workforce—have applied to leave the agency through a Trump-era deferred resignation program aimed at cutting federal staff.

If all are approved, NASA’s civil servant workforce would shrink from 18,000 to around 14,000.

The downsizing comes amid proposed budget cuts of 25% for 2026 and ongoing leadership turmoil, including the withdrawn nomination of billionaire astronaut Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator, CBS News has reported.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has been appointed interim head as the agency navigates a period of major transition.

Written by B.C. Begley