JPL, which was founded in 1936 by California Institute of Technology researchers, already went through one round of mass layoffs earlier this year in an effort to reduce costs. In February, JPL cut 530 jobs, which was about 8% of its then-workforce, and laid off 40 contractors.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA's chief center for planetary exploration, is conducting its second round of layoffs in 2024, reducing its workforce by another 5%.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is laying off about 325 employees, or 5% of its workforce, as the California-based research and development center deals with funding challenges for the upcoming year.