NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to eject hundreds more workers
(2024/11/13)
- Reference: 1731533048
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2024/11/13/nasas_jet_propulsion_laboratory_layoffs/
- Source link:
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) will need to lose hundreds more workers as managers seek to meet the current FY'25 budget allocation.
[1]
A team of engineers at work on the Europa Clipper orbiter inside the clean room at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California in 2023 (click to enlarge) – Pic: Shutterstock
Approximately 5 percent of JPL's workforce will be laid off – amounting to about 325 workers – across the organization's technical, business, and support areas. The [2]announcement was made in a memo from JPL director Laurie Leshin.
Over 500 workers [3]lost their jobs in February , and the next group of staff to lose their roles will learn their fate today, November 13.
After the latest cuts, JPL staffing levels will be at approximately 5,500 regular employees. Leshin said, "I believe this is a stable, supportable staffing level moving forward." However, Leshin also cautioned, "We can never be 100 percent certain of the future budget."
That is a fair comment, considering the [4]upheavals which could be arriving alongside the next US administration. JPL, readers will recall, is the place that had a hand in designing the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter and developed the astonishingly long-lived Voyager spacecraft. Its place in future plans is uncertain at present.
[5]
Leshin acknowledged the challenges in the memo, noting, "Even though the coming leadership transition at NASA may introduce both new uncertainties and new opportunities, this action would be happening regardless of the recent election outcome."
[6]
[7]
Politcal appointees in NASA's leadership are likely to be replaced by the incoming US administration.
Garry Hunt, one of the original Voyager scientists, told The Register he was worried about the effect of the layoffs on morale at JPL and highlighted "the innovative ways in which they work and the clever ways in which they have developed things" as being threatened by the cuts.
[8]
However, Hunt also paid tribute to Leshin and the manner in which the decisions have been handled.
[9]What might a second term of Trump mean for the US space program?
[10]Unbreakable Voyager space probes close in on a 50 year mission
[11]Europa Clipper heads to Jupiter: Can its icy moon support life?
[12]Netflix on Mars? Yeah maybe, thanks to NASA's laser comms demo
Hunt added "the Mars Sample Return must be hanging over their heads." A [13]rocketing budget resulted in a need for new ideas of how this incredibly complex and convoluted mission could be accomplished without such a high price tag.
While Leshin did not mention the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission as playing a role in the layoffs, uncertainly over funding for the mission can not have helped. NASA is in the process of evaluating alternative MSR architecture [14]proposals from its own community and the wider space industry. JPL is involved in this assessment, culminating in a recommendation for a primary architecture for the mission by the end of 2024. ®
Get our [15]Tech Resources
[1] https://regmedia.co.uk/2024/11/13/shutterstock_jpl.jpg
[2] https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/jpl-workforce-update_-/
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/nasa_jpl_layoffs/
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2024/11/12/trump_space_program/
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2ZzUvmEx1tDYrMVKhYc7cFAAAAQ4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
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[9] https://www.theregister.com/2024/11/12/trump_space_program/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2024/11/09/voyager_closes_in_on_a/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2024/10/19/europa_clipper_juniper_support_life/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2024/10/07/netflix_on_mars_sure_thanks/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/16/nasa_msr_mission_update/
[14] https://science.nasa.gov/missions/mars-sample-return/new-team-to-assess-nasas-mars-sample-return-architecture-proposals/
[15] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
[1]
A team of engineers at work on the Europa Clipper orbiter inside the clean room at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California in 2023 (click to enlarge) – Pic: Shutterstock
Approximately 5 percent of JPL's workforce will be laid off – amounting to about 325 workers – across the organization's technical, business, and support areas. The [2]announcement was made in a memo from JPL director Laurie Leshin.
Over 500 workers [3]lost their jobs in February , and the next group of staff to lose their roles will learn their fate today, November 13.
After the latest cuts, JPL staffing levels will be at approximately 5,500 regular employees. Leshin said, "I believe this is a stable, supportable staffing level moving forward." However, Leshin also cautioned, "We can never be 100 percent certain of the future budget."
That is a fair comment, considering the [4]upheavals which could be arriving alongside the next US administration. JPL, readers will recall, is the place that had a hand in designing the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter and developed the astonishingly long-lived Voyager spacecraft. Its place in future plans is uncertain at present.
[5]
Leshin acknowledged the challenges in the memo, noting, "Even though the coming leadership transition at NASA may introduce both new uncertainties and new opportunities, this action would be happening regardless of the recent election outcome."
[6]
[7]
Politcal appointees in NASA's leadership are likely to be replaced by the incoming US administration.
Garry Hunt, one of the original Voyager scientists, told The Register he was worried about the effect of the layoffs on morale at JPL and highlighted "the innovative ways in which they work and the clever ways in which they have developed things" as being threatened by the cuts.
[8]
However, Hunt also paid tribute to Leshin and the manner in which the decisions have been handled.
[9]What might a second term of Trump mean for the US space program?
[10]Unbreakable Voyager space probes close in on a 50 year mission
[11]Europa Clipper heads to Jupiter: Can its icy moon support life?
[12]Netflix on Mars? Yeah maybe, thanks to NASA's laser comms demo
Hunt added "the Mars Sample Return must be hanging over their heads." A [13]rocketing budget resulted in a need for new ideas of how this incredibly complex and convoluted mission could be accomplished without such a high price tag.
While Leshin did not mention the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission as playing a role in the layoffs, uncertainly over funding for the mission can not have helped. NASA is in the process of evaluating alternative MSR architecture [14]proposals from its own community and the wider space industry. JPL is involved in this assessment, culminating in a recommendation for a primary architecture for the mission by the end of 2024. ®
Get our [15]Tech Resources
[1] https://regmedia.co.uk/2024/11/13/shutterstock_jpl.jpg
[2] https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/jpl-workforce-update_-/
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/nasa_jpl_layoffs/
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2024/11/12/trump_space_program/
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2ZzUvmEx1tDYrMVKhYc7cFAAAAQ4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZzUvmEx1tDYrMVKhYc7cFAAAAQ4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
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[8] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZzUvmEx1tDYrMVKhYc7cFAAAAQ4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2024/11/12/trump_space_program/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2024/11/09/voyager_closes_in_on_a/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2024/10/19/europa_clipper_juniper_support_life/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2024/10/07/netflix_on_mars_sure_thanks/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/16/nasa_msr_mission_update/
[14] https://science.nasa.gov/missions/mars-sample-return/new-team-to-assess-nasas-mars-sample-return-architecture-proposals/
[15] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: RIF ye not...
Oneman2Many
I would imagine Voyager is safe, its a flagship project. Losing VIPER and Mars Sample Return didn't help and I wonder if they are mothballing people due to the extended mission time for Europa Clipper due to its additional flight time.
Remember that JPL laid off over 500 people earlier this year as well.
JPL. . .
Philo T Farnsworth
. . . is nothing less than a national treasure.
This reeks of anticipatory obedience , what's known in the boxing world as " flinching without being hit ," a preparatory genuflection to what will no doubt be Musk's "efficiency" meat ax (read: cut anything that doesn't benefit him or his ilk).
A couple more stories like this one and you'll find me naked, running down the middle of the street, crying my eyes out.
And, believe me, nobody wants that.
Sheesh, people.
Re: JPL. . .
DS999
This reeks of anticipatory obedience
That wouldn't make sense. Identifying these layoffs now and keeping them in your back pocket to offer up should there be an order to cut by X would be a better plan. I doubt Musk is going to cut them some slack just because they recently laid off. He has personal incentive to cut NASA deeply, to make SpaceX more important, so cutting early isn't going to help spare them later.
RIF ye not...
..or at least don't axe anyone critical to Voyager operations - including DSN - until those missions get to at least the approaching 50 year durations.
No matter how much it makes financial/business sense, I really think that one of the most amazing technical achievements of the century* should be allowed to become unsustainable due to running out of resources or firing the wrong people...
* still waiting for commercially viable fusion power :-)