Fired NASA Workers Warn Office Closures Will Hinder Space Exploration Efforts

Washington, D.C. – A wave of staff reductions at NASA, including the closure of two critical offices, has raised alarm among former employees who warn that these cuts could dramatically hinder the agency’s capacity for effective space exploration and increase associated costs.

NASA announced last week that it will close its Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy and the Office of the Chief Scientist. The decision is part of broader budget cuts at the agency affecting approximately 20 staff members, who will receive just 30 days’ notice instead of the typical 60 due to what officials describe as an urgent need for compliance with an executive order.

These offices are responsible for providing independent analysis and strategic oversight on key investments that guide NASA’s missions, including future manned missions to the Moon and Mars. One senior NASA official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, expressed concern that the closures undermine the agency’s long-term objectives: “Musk wants to go to Mars. They need no detractors,” the official said. “The most independent and unbiased views come from these offices.”

Under scrutiny is SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who has significant influence over NASA, particularly as President Trump has nominated billionaire Jared Isaacman, a close ally of Musk, as the next NASA administrator. Critics argue that such connections lead to potential conflicts of interest, particularly as SpaceX secures lucrative federal contracts.

NASA’s acting administrator, Janet Petro, has appointed Michael Altenhofen, a former SpaceX employee, as a senior adviser amidst increasing worries of favoritism towards Musk’s companies. The closings have bewildered many within NASA, with one terminated employee asserting the decision is shortsighted. “We’re missing out on the longer-term vision for Moon to Mars exploration by cutting these offices,” the employee stated, emphasizing that strategic technological development could be compromised.

Amid these cuts, NASA’s relationship with SpaceX has grown increasingly scrutinized. The agency has invested more than $15 billion in SpaceX missions, including recent contracts for the Pandora mission launch and the Near Earth Object Surveyor mission. Critics, such as Senators Adam Schiff and Tammy Duckworth, are questioning the ethical implications of providing Musk’s enterprises with such contracts, suggesting potential corruption and favoritism.

In February, three members of Congress highlighted concerns about what they described as a destructive seizure of power by Musk’s organization, dubbed “Doge,” within the federal structure. “Doge’s presence at the agency creates an unprecedented threat from within NASA’s own house,” they stated in their communication to the agency.

A NASA spokesperson confirmed the agency is initiating a reduction in force as part of a broader reorganization plan. “To optimize our workforce and in compliance with an executive order, NASA is beginning its phased approach to a reduction in force, known as a RIF,” the spokesperson said. “A small number of individuals received notification on March 10 that they are a part of NASA’s RIF.”