NASA cuts $420 million in contract amid Doge’s extensive cost-cutting measures
According to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), NASA terminated $420 million in “no contracts required”, an entity established by the executive order to cut costs across the federal government.
Since the second Trump administration began in January, hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts are just the latest cuts to take effect. Many cuts come in the form of layoffs, canceled grants and termination programs for federal science-focused agencies, from health, weather to natural resources.
Doge is not a government department, but gained extensive power under Elon Musk to tighten the belt of government agencies, announcing the X cuts X, the cuts on X are owned by billionaires.
“This simplified effort ensures that taxpayers’ funding targets projects with the greatest impact while keeping NASA’s fundamental functions at the highest level of execution,” NASA press secretary Bethany Stevens said in a statement to Spacenews.
Stevens joined NASA this month as press secretary after serving as press secretary for Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican of Texas.
“Overall, our aim is to provide more savings for the American people in order to strengthen our commitment to efficiency, innovation and ongoing leadership in space exploration,” Stevens added.
According to X Post, the terminated $45 million of $420 million is distributed evenly among three independent consultants for “change management support services.”
Doge’s claims and reality may be very different. In February, the so-called department claimed it saved tens of thousands of dollars, although the number appears to be a small part of it. According to the New York Times, Doge reported that a contract is worth $8 billion, although the actual cost of the contract is $8 million.
According to Doge’s website, of the reported $44.5 million saved in 17 terminated NASA contracts, it actually saved only $26.1 million, as other contracts have been paid in full, as SpaceNews reported. The figures they report lack clarity due to all the savings saved by the department.
However, the Trump administration’s actions are driving changes in cultural attitudes among federal agencies. In late January, NASA closed offices related to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility and canceled contracts related to the agency’s work. The space agency was named one of the best employers of diversity in 2023, although a January memo announced the shift that the agency did not exempt the Trump administration from repeated calls for ending plans, thus making federal entities more fair.
NASA’s cost cuts are locking in, with staff layoffs reported by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the National Park Service. Bookings are falling and cancelling in national parks as public interest in visits stagnates given the reported damage at many locations. Many federal employees (including meteorologists who simulate the impact of hurricanes on U.S. states) hold patterns, while their employment status passes the court system.
It is unclear which specific NASA contracts to be chosen for termination, although this will require some important (or many plans) that are what Doge calls $420 million savings.
