NASA's JPL to Lay Off 325 Workers

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is set to lay off approximately 325 employees, representing 5% of its workforce, in response to ongoing budget constraints and project funding cuts. JPL Director Laurie Leshin indicated that the layoffs, which will affect various areas including technical and business operations, are part of necessary adjustments to adhere to a reduced budget. This marks the third round of layoffs at JPL this year, following a previous reduction of over 500 workers earlier. The total workforce will stabilize at around 5,500 employees after these cuts. Leshin expressed hope that this would be the last significant workforce reduction needed in the foreseeable future. The layoffs come amid financial challenges related to the Mars Sample Return program, which has seen substantial funding decreases from NASA.