NASA is canceling its main roles and other roles as part of the efforts made by the Trump administration to calm employees at the agency’s headquarters in Washington.
Discounts affect about 20 NASA employees, including Catherine Calvin, Chief Scientist and Climate Science Expert. It will be the last working day for Dr. Calvin and other employees on April 10.
This can be a vow of deeper discounts in NASA’s scientific tasks and a greater focus on human space, especially for Mars. During President Trump’s speech to Congress last week, he said: “We will lead humanity to space and cultivate the American flag on Mars and even further.”
Mr. Trump did not offer a schedule for astronauts to reach the Red Planet, and during an interview with Fox News on Sunday, he said it was not a top priority. “Is it the number 1 in my strike list?” He said. “No. it’s not really.”
He added, “It will be a great achievement.”
The administration sent a notice to Congress on Monday that NASA was canceling the office of the chief scientist, the Office of Technology, Politics and Strategy.
“This is short and very concerned,” said Zoe Lovgrin, Democrat in California and classification member of the House of Representatives Committee for Science, Space and Technology. “Trump’s assault on science continues. If you want to get a playing book on how to lose to China in every technological race, this is the case.”
Bahia Lal, who held the position of assistant director of technology, politics and strategy when the office was established in 2021, said that the purpose of the office is to provide “strict and fast analysis based on data and objectivity for NASA and White House makers” in federal issues.
Issues included economics for removing space debris and the formation of how future activities control the moon. Dr. Lal said that the work of the office “was not only about reaching the moon.” “It was about laying the foundation to explore the sustainable moon.”
She said that the office “made sure to push NASA to innovate was balanced with the studied consideration of its long -term effects.”
The positions include eliminating the largest technicians and chief economists of the agency, which was part of the Office of Technology, Politics and Strategy. The notification said that major technology positions at NASA Centers, such as the Johnson Space Center in Houston and the Kennedy Space Center in Florida are not affected.
The agency also cuts many positions related to diversity, fairness and integration in the Equal Opportunity Office.
The notification said that NASA is estimated that the class costs will be about $ 1.2 million.
Sherrill Warner, a NASA spokeswoman, said in an email: “To improve our workforce, and in compliance with an executive matter, NASA has started its gradual approach to reducing power, known as RIF,” NASA, Sherrill Warner, a NASA spokeswoman. “A small number of individuals received a notice on Monday that they are part of RIF in NASA.”
Lady Wheeler said that qualified employees can choose early retirement.
Democratic Parliament staff said they are concerned about the deep discounts in NASA.
Last week, the Planetary Association, a non -profit organization that enhances space exploration, High warnings The Trump administration can consider reducing the budget for science activities in NASA by half.
Casey Dryer, president of the association’s space policy, said that the job removals announced on Monday “are more symbolic, and certainly less influential than some other numbers we hear for the budget or more RIFS.”
Dr. Calvin as the chief of NASA was appointed in January 2022. Since 2008, she was a researcher at the Institute for the Joint Global Change of the National Laboratory in the Pacific Ocean in 2023, who was appointed as head of a working group in the National Committee in the field of climate change, a scientific body for national celebrations.
The role of the chief scientist was to advise NASA and senior officials in strategic planning. Dr. Calvin is the agency President of the eleventh scholars since 1982. This position was previously eliminated in 2005 during the presidency of George W. Bush and was re -created in 2011 when Barack Obama was president.
The position of chief scholars separate from the assistant official who runs the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Nicolas Fox.
