JPL to Cut Over 300 Jobs in Workforce Reduction

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is set to lay off around 325 employees, or 5% of its workforce, due to budget cuts, particularly affecting the Mars Sample Return mission. This marks the third round of layoffs at JPL this year, following significant reductions in funding for the mission. The layoffs are part of broader financial constraints facing NASA, which has seen its budget remain flat for decades, impacting various projects and technological resources. The U.S. must either increase NASA's funding or cut missions, according to a report by the National Academies.