Hundreds of NASA employees decide to resign as DOGE investigates the space agency | FOX 35 Orlando
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Hundreds of NASA employees decide to resign as DOGE investigates the space agency

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Updated  February 19, 2025 8:50pm EST
NASA
FOX 35 Orlando

NASA employees accepting resignation packages

100's of NASA employees are allegedly accepting resignation packages. FOX 35's Esther Bower found out more and has the latest from the Space Coast.

The Brief

    • Hundreds of NASA employees accepted resignation offers as the federal government moves to cut spending, with more layoffs expected.
    • Former NASA scientist Keith Cowing and The Planetary Society warn that thousands of jobs could be at risk, drawing parallels to past budget cuts.
    • Some officials, including State Senator Randy Fine, support the spending reductions, arguing that government agencies need stricter financial oversight.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Hundreds of NASA employees accepted resignation offers from the federal government on Thursday as President Trump tries to gut federal spending.

On Wednesday, a NASA spokesperson confirmed new details as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) started looking into NASA contracts this week.

What they're saying:

Here’s the latest statement NASA shared on the developing situation:

"NASA continues to work as quickly as possible to comply with the guidance and direction provided by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for the Deferred Resignation Program and probationary employees. The agency is in the process of validating hundreds of employees who responded to the deferred resignation offer before the deadline. Some probationary employees have taken the deferred resignation offer and those individuals have been, or will be, on administrative leave by the end of this week. NASA is working with OPM on exemptions for those in the probationary period in mission-critical functions."

A former NASA employee tells FOX 35’s Esther Bower this is just the beginning of job cuts at the federal space agency.

The other side:

Keith Cowing is a retired rocket scientist who was with NASA for about a decade in the 1980s. What’s happening now brings him back to 1996. He says President Clinton also tried to make massive federal spending cuts, and hundreds of NASA employees lost their jobs back then. The retired scientist says he’s hearing from employees who aren’t sure what will happen to their jobs or the programs they’re working on.

Keith Cowing, retired NASA rocket scientist

"Everybody's confused. Everybody’s freaking out, and everybody just wants to get back to the dream job of exploring the universe," said Cowing, who’s the editor of NASAWatch.com.

Cowing still hears from employees working at NASA. His online publication keeps a close watch on what’s happening at the agency.

"I’m hearing things now in 2025 that are a scary echo of 1996, the last time there was a big layoff," said Cowing.

He thinks thousands of jobs are on the chopping block.

"This is the pre-game show. There is still a big layoff coming, a reduction in force," he said.

The Planetary Society is also sounding the alarm about layoffs this week.

The independent space advocacy organization put out a statement condemning the dismissal of 1,000 scientists, engineers, and explorers.

The statement reads in part:

"We urge the Trump Administration to reverse this arbitrary decision and work with Congress and other stakeholders to define a clear strategy for continued U.S. leadership in space and to ensure the nation’s space agency has the workforce necessary to succeed in its mission."

Not everyone thinks NASA’s mission is in jeopardy even with the cuts.

"You think Elon Musk is going to hurt our ability to go back to the Moon and Mars? Absolutely not," said Space Coast State Senator Randy Fine.

State Senator Fine says federal spending is outrageous, and every agency needs to be investigated.

"How many people at NASA were focused on DEI?" asked Fine. "The federal government has been irresponsible beyond our wildest imaginations in how they spend our tax dollars."

FOX 35 reached out to NASA on Wednesday, asking if DOGE was on-site specifically at Kennedy Space Center. Officials were not able to confirm that with us.

Cowing says he’s hearing more rumors about layoffs also being announced on Friday.

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The Source: The information in this article comes from reporting done by FOX 35's Esther Bower. 

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