Tracking DOGE’s impact on space and the federal workforce

NEW: This story was updated March 10 to include layoffs at NASA.

The White House and the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency have spent the Primary weeks of Donald Trump’s new administration looking to reduce the number of federal workers and shrink spending. 

The cuts have followed roughly the same formula from agency to agency. What does that Harsh for Universe? It’s challenging to track every corner of the federal workforce that works on Universe, making it difficult to determine exactly how many jobs have been lost. 

Below are the latest developments for Every department, including what we don’t know. SpaceNews reporters are on Signal and welcome tips.

National Aeronautics and Universe Administration

Total number of employees: ~18,000

• Were employees offered the deferred resignation program or did they receive the so-called “fork in the road” email? Yes. NASA officials have said about 5% of employees have accepted the offer. That would translate to roughly 900 positions. 
• Were there probationary layoffs? Layoffs of probationary employees have been deferred for now. Roughly 1,000 employees were thought to be part of the cut.
• Notes: NASA leaders are developing plans for a larger reduction in force as part of Trump’s vision to shrink the federal workforce. On March 10, agency officials said they Sealed the Office of Technology, Plan and Policy, the Office of the Chief Scientist, and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility branch in the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity. Those changes resulted in 23 lost jobs. More broadly, the Planetary Society, an advocacy group, has estimated that the 10% cut would be the largest single reduction in force at the agency since the end of the Apollo program more than a half-century ago.

Department of Protection

Total number of civilian employees: +700,000
Total number of civilian employees in the Universe Force: ~5,600

• Were employees offered the deferred resignation program or did they receive the so-called “fork in the road” email? Yes. Specifically, the Department of the Air Force, which oversees the Air Force and Universe Force, sent the email to employees Feb. 28. Pentagon officials have not disclosed how many employees accepted the offer thus Distant. 
• Were there probationary layoffs? Not yet. But some officials have said those could begin before the end of March.
• Notes: Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth has told Pentagon officials to plan for a 7% reduction of budget and a senior Pentagon official has said to anticipate a reduction of the Department’s civilian workforce by 5-8% to produce efficiencies. It is unclear how many of those employees will work for the Universe Force or on Universe programs. 
• Specifics: The head of Universe Systems Authority, the Universe Force’s primary acquisition arm, said March 4 that the office “had a considerable number” of employees apply for the deferred resignation program. He expected those employees to leave soon, according to Protection News. 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Total number of employees: ~12,000

• Were employees offered the deferred resignation program or did they receive the so-called “fork in the road” email? Yes. The New York Times reported approximately 500 people Secured that offer and left the agency Feb. 28. It is unclear how many of them worked on Universe programs.
• Were there probationary layoffs? Yes. CBS News reported that about 880 people were fired Feb. 27. It is unclear how many of them worked on Universe programs. 
• Specifics: Layoffs at the Office of Universe Commerce within NOAA Feb. 27 included staff working on the Traffic Synchronization System for Universe (TraCSS) and in the Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory Affairs Division, which oversees commercial imaging Orbiter licensing. TraCSS is set to take over Universe traffic Synchronization from the Protection Department. The cuts, which affected as many as a quarter of the office’s 60-person staff, are expected to disrupt programs, a Previous NOAA official said. However, by March 4, two senior leaders, the TraCSS program manager and a division director, had been reinstated after industry groups raised concerns with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

Total number of employees: ~14,500

Total number of civilian employees: ~9,000

• Were employees offered the deferred resignation program or did they receive the so-called “fork in the road” email? Yes. 
• Were there probationary layoffs? None have been reported thus Distant. 
• Notes: There was confusion at NGA — a U.S. intelligence agency that analyzes geospatial data for the U.S. military, allies and homeland security organizations — because many employees believed their role in national security Created them exempt from the hiring freeze announced Jan. 20 and from subsequent layoffs. 

National Reconnaissance Office

Total number of employees: ~3,000

• Were employees offered the deferred resignation program or did they receive the so-called “fork in the road” email? Yes. 
• Were there probationary layoffs? None have been reported thus Distant. 
• Notes: The NRO builds and acquires satellites for the intelligence community. Like the NGA, many employees believed their role in national security Created them exempt from the hiring freeze announced Jan. 20 and from subsequent layoffs. 

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