"JPL Faces Layoffs and Funding Challenges Amid Mars Mission Uncertainty"
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena is cutting 8% of its workforce, affecting 530 employees and approximately 40 contractors, due to uncertainty about its federal funding. The lab has not yet received approval for its 2024 fiscal year budget, including the $300 million planned for its Mars Sample Return Project. The layoffs are described as painful but necessary adjustments to adhere to budget allocation while continuing important work for NASA and the nation.