NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in LA County to lay off hundreds

Layoffs were announced at the Los Angeles County Jet Propulsion Laboratory on Monday, continuing a reorganization that began in July.

The company's director sent out a JPL "workforce update" on the company's website, saying that "we are taking steps to restructure and establish an appropriate size to ensure future success."

Approximately 550 people, about 11% of the workforce, will be cut. Employees will be notified of their status on Tuesday, Oct. 14.

"This week's action, while not easy, is essential to securing JPL's future by creating a leaner infrastructure, focusing on our core technical capabilities, maintaining fiscal discipline, and positioning us to compete in the evolving space ecosystem — all while continuing to deliver on our vital work for NASA and the nation," JPL Director Dave Gallagher said.

Last year, in February 2024, JPL laid off more than 500 employees and attributed the cuts to a shrinking budget from the federal government.

Gallagher said that Tuesday's layoffs are not related to the current government shutdown, which began at the beginning of October.

"We are a leader in robotic space exploration, sending rovers to Mars, probes into the farthest reaches of the solar system, and satellites to advance understanding of our home planet," according to the JPL website. 

The Explorer I satellite -- its first spacecraft -- in 1958 helped lift America into the Space Age."