MASSIVE Job Cuts Announced by NASA's JPL as Budget Cut Hits Mars Program

New Delhi: After being hit hard by recent federal budget cuts NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has sacked 100 contractors. layoff took place last week as NASA is facing massive budget cuts, because of which, space agency has to postpone its manned mission to moon, Artemis.  

In an email to employees, JPL director Laurie Leshin reportedly said budget allocated for MSR (Mars Sample Return) mission this year is expected to be restricted to $300 million. This figure stands at slightly more than one-third of 2023 budget, which amounted to $822 million.

Notably, current budget falls short of amount requested by Biden ministration, comprising less than one-third of ir proposed funding. Earlier last year in June, concerns were raised owing to expenses for mission which were increasing quickly. In October, NASA decided to take anor look at mission's plans after a group of independent reviewers said that budget and schedule were not realistic.

MSR Mission Facing Challenges Due to Budget Constraints

MSR mission, a collaborative effort between NASA and European Space Agency, has encountered challenges due to budget constraints. NASA's Perseverance rover on Mars is tasked with collecting samples, which are intended to be shot into Martian orbit and later retrieved for a return to Earth in early to mid-2030s.

However, budget restrictions have led NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to implement a hiring freeze and halt work on mission’s Capture, Containment, and Retrieval System, designed for retrieving samples in orbit. This decision has sparked dissatisfaction among lawmakers, with Representative am Schiff (D-CA) expressing concern over NASA's choice to cut funding for MSR mission before completion of appropriations process in Congress.