The head of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center announced her resignation on Monday.
Makenzie Lystrup, who has been at the helm of the Maryland facility since April 2023, will depart the agency on August 1st. As indicated in a statement from NASA, Goddard is responsible for many major missions, including the Hubble Space Telescope, the Solar Dynamics Observatory, and the Osiris Rex mission that retrieved samples from asteroids.
Lystrup’s resignation comes shortly after Laurie Leshin stepped down as the director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Institute in Pasadena, California.
Joel Kovsky / NASA
These departures come as NASA and other federal agencies face significant funding challenges and personnel reductions as part of a larger effort to streamline the federal workforce. Inside NASA, there are rising concerns on Capitol Hill regarding how space agencies can manage their duties with a reduced staffing structure and the rationale for implementing cuts before Congressional budget approval.
At the same time, more than 2,000 senior-level staff members are expected to exit NASA as part of workforce reduction initiatives. First reported by Politico, this group includes senior management and specialists, raising concerns about a “brain drain” within the agency.
NASA staff will need to make decisions on accepting “deferred resignation,” voluntary departures, or early retirement by the end of the week.
President Donald Trump’s proposed 2026 budget aims to cut approximately 25% from NASA’s budget, totaling over $6 billion. The most substantial reductions will impact the Space Science, Earth Science, and Mission Support divisions. As per budget outlines.
If passed by Congress, this budget could lead to the discontinuation of NASA’s space launch system rockets and the Orion spacecraft.
In reaction to the budget proposal, over 280 current and former NASA employees have signed a letter addressed to NASA’s interim administrator Sean Duffy, expressing that recent policies from the Trump administration “endanger public resources, compromise human safety, weaken national security, and undermine NASA’s essential mission.”
The letter, known as the Voyager declaration, states that these changes have had “devastating impacts” on the agency’s personnel and prioritize political goals over human safety, scientific progress, and the prudent use of public funds.
An internal communication obtained by NBC News indicates that before Duffy replaced Janet Petro, the former NASA deputy manager, she was compelled to justify how budget cutbacks and restructuring were in the agency’s best interests.
It remains unclear if the resignations of Lystrup and Leshin are connected to the ongoing turmoil at NASA and other federal institutions. NASA’s announcement about Leshin’s resignation stated her departure was “for personal reasons.”
NASA did not disclose any specifics regarding Lystrup’s resignation. In an internal message obtained by NBC News, Lystrup expressed confidence in Goddard’s leadership team and the future direction of the center.
“I feel privileged to have been part of this remarkable journey with you,” she mentioned in an email. “That was an honor.”
NASA announced on Monday that Cynthia Simmons, the assistant director, will step in as the acting director of Goddard starting in August.
Source: www.nbcnews.com
