JPL To Cut 5% of Workforce, Its Third Layoff This Year (behindtheblack.com)
(Thursday November 14, 2024 @11:41AM (msmash)
from the tough-luck dept.)
- Reference: 0175468177
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/11/14/0712251/jpl-to-cut-5-of-workforce-its-third-layoff-this-year
- Source link: https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/jpl-to-layoff-5-of-its-workforce-the-third-major-layoff-this-year/
An anonymous reader writes:
> JPL in California [1]announced this week a layoff of 325 workers, about 5% of its workforce, the third major layoff imposed this year.
>
> The JPL press release indicates the layoffs are because of NASA budget cutbacks, but does not provide any specificity. The cause centers mostly around NASA's decision to pause its Mars Sample Return project, which JPL was leading. From [2]this report:
> This is the third round of layoffs at JPL this year, a reduction spurred primarily by major budgetary cuts to the Mars Sample Return mission, which is managed by JPL. NASA directed $310 million this year to the effort to bring Mars rocks back to Earth, a steep drop from the $822.3 million it spent on the program the previous year.
[1] https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/jpl/jpl-workforce-update-2/
[2] https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2024-11-12/jpl-to-lay-off-roughly-5-of-its-workforce
> JPL in California [1]announced this week a layoff of 325 workers, about 5% of its workforce, the third major layoff imposed this year.
>
> The JPL press release indicates the layoffs are because of NASA budget cutbacks, but does not provide any specificity. The cause centers mostly around NASA's decision to pause its Mars Sample Return project, which JPL was leading. From [2]this report:
> This is the third round of layoffs at JPL this year, a reduction spurred primarily by major budgetary cuts to the Mars Sample Return mission, which is managed by JPL. NASA directed $310 million this year to the effort to bring Mars rocks back to Earth, a steep drop from the $822.3 million it spent on the program the previous year.
[1] https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/jpl/jpl-workforce-update-2/
[2] https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2024-11-12/jpl-to-lay-off-roughly-5-of-its-workforce
Budget Cut (Score:2)
by JBMcB ( 73720 )
Technically correct, there was a budget cut in 2024, from $25.3 billion in 2023 down to $24.8 billion. That was after a budget increase from $24.0 billion in 2022.
dogshit vendors (Score:3)
by awwshit ( 6214476 )
NASA needs to stop spending money on crap vendors like Boeing. The faster Boeing offloads its space program the better.
NASA's high standards drive cost but when vendors flub the job cost really goes up.
Re: (Score:2)
by Baron_Yam ( 643147 )
You understand those decisions are made by politicians, not NASA management, right? Congress makes those decisions.
NASA is basically going to shut down (Score:2)
With how the election has gone we are going to privatize it almost entirely. I think a little bit of it'll be kept around is a pork project at least the time being. But it's going to get gutted. Like the old saying goes, privatize the profits and socialize the losses...
Re: (Score:1)
It's called SpaceX
Re: (Score:2)
Teaching children about space exploration is socialism. Star Trek proves that.
Re: (Score:2)
It's a chaotic situation and difficult to predict. Republican politicians seem to be very bad at getting anything from Trump, and Trump seems very good at making them fall in line. So maybe the pork barreling will end.
Musk tried working with Trump in the previous Trump administration and gave up in frustration. Maybe this time will be different, and SpaceX will get all of NASA's work because Musk wants the money, or Trump decides he can take credit or skim something from it.
Or maybe it'll all get shut d
Re: (Score:2)
> It's a chaotic situation and difficult to predict. Republican politicians seem to be very bad at getting anything from Trump, and Trump seems very good at making them fall in line. So maybe the pork barreling will end.
My guess is that there will just be fewer barrels, and the biggest one will be labeled "SpaceX."
> Musk tried working with Trump in the previous Trump administration and gave up in frustration. Maybe this time will be different, and SpaceX will get all of NASA's work because Musk wants the money, or Trump decides he can take credit or skim something from it.
See above.
> Or maybe it'll all get shut down as part of 'trimming the fat'. After all, that's going to be Elon's job and he might be forced to do it over his SpaceX conflict of interest. It's not like the Republican base is pro-science, or worried about hurting themselves with the cutbacks they have been conditioned to demand.
I don't see how shutting down NASA conflicts with Elon Musk's interest. Mind you, I don't think it will happen, because Musk still wants NASA as a customer .
> I wouldn't bet on any particular outcome.
Nor would I, except one: SpaceX is going to grow significantly.
Re: (Score:2)
What profits...what losses...do you even know what you are saying? This is a government agency so those "things" don't exist. Is it even possible for you to see something beyond the prism of socialism is good and capitalism is bad? Look NASA and it's old school contractors have wasted more money than we can even imagine with very little to show for it. It is time for a shake up because right now SpaceX is leaps and bounds in front of Nasa and Boeing when it comes to delivering and costs which are all good.