NASA is preparing for the departure of about 2,145 senior-ranking civil servants, according to internal documents cited by Politico. The staff reduction will be carried out through a mix of early-retirement packages, voluntary buyouts and deferred resignations aimed at shrinking the federal workforce. The exodus affects core technical talent: 1,818 of those leaving work directly on science and human-spaceflight programs, with the rest in support roles such as IT and finance. The cuts are agency-wide, led by 607 departures at Goddard Space Flight Center, 366 at Johnson Space Center, 311 at Kennedy Space Center and 307 at NASA Headquarters in Washington. The drawdown aligns with a White House budget proposal that would trim NASA’s funding by roughly 25%, or more than $6 billion, in fiscal 2026. NASA said it remains committed to its Moon-and-Mars objectives and is working with the administration to prioritize missions in a tighter fiscal environment.