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March 12, 2025 | 09:58 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is shutting down three of its offices and laying off 23 employees as part of a broader workforce reduction, as ordered by Trump’s government.
NASA announced the move on March 10, 2025. The three offices are the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy; the Office of the Chief Scientist; and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Branch of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
This closure is part of a larger strategy called the 'Workforce Optimization Initiative' in accordance with the executive order issued on February 11. "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," said NASA spokesperson Cheryl Warner in a written statement quoted from SpaceNews on March 12. "A small number of individuals received notification Monday they are a part of NASA’s RIF."
In a memo to its employees, NASA Acting Administrator Janet Petro said the layoffs were part of broader efforts mandated by the White House. "In compliance with this directive, we are actively working with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to develop a thoughtful approach that aligns with both administration priorities and our mission needs," Petro wrote in the memo.
Petro also added that the closure of the three offices occurred ahead of the RIF plan and NASA reorganization as part of a broader government restructuring effort.
The Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy was established in 2021 with the goal of providing data- and evidence-based advice in technology, policy, and strategy for NASA. The office has worked on various projects, such as space sustainability and space solar power studies. The office is led by Charity Weeden as the associate administrator.
Citing Reuters, NASA’s Trump-mandated closure will include the departure of its current chief scientist Katherine Calvin and chief technologist A.C. Charania.
NASA also began closing its diversity office just two days after the Trump inauguration. The NASA Diversity and Equal Opportunity Office website was taken down on January 22, along with similar office sites at NASA field centers. This step was also taken in response to the order instructing federal agencies to terminate programs and positions related to DEIA.
Prior to this, NASA underwent organizational shift multiple times, parallel with administration change. For example, the space agency previously closed the chief scientist position from 2005 to 2011, indicating politics-driven workforce policies within NASA.
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