NASA’s acting administrator, Janet Petro, has announced plans to reorganize the agency within weeks, but a Senate-confirmed administrator may not be in place until next year. The proposed changes would reshape the agency’s structure and reporting lines, with some functions potentially being moved to field centers.
Petro stated that her goal is to finalize the top-level structure for NASA soon, with several approaches under consideration. One option involves reorganizing the agency through mission directorates, while another proposes a “center-centric” approach focused on field centers. A third option would involve implementing a product line model.
Regardless of the chosen approach, Petro emphasized that much of the work currently done at NASA Headquarters will be transferred to the field centers. The plan aims to refocus the work in D.C. on setting strategic direction and engaging with external partners.
The Senate had previously confirmed Jared Isaacman as the nominee for NASA administrator but withdrew the nomination due to President Trump’s falling out with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. As a result, Petro will remain acting administrator until a new leader is installed, potentially taking several months.
Agency officials acknowledged concerns about budget cuts and potential layoffs but argued that these measures were necessary to address broader government spending issues. The proposed 2026 budget would reduce NASA’s overall budget by nearly 25% while cutting the civil servant workforce by one-third.
Contractors are expected to face layoffs due to the reduced budget, with Petro noting that 85% of NASA’s budget is allocated to contractors. Officials emphasized that the agency was not planning mass layoffs but were exploring ways to stretch its budget through partnerships and other means.
Congress has yet to take up the budget proposal, and House appropriators will advance a spending bill in early July. If the congressional process unfolds as expected, NASA would likely operate at lower funding levels during the continuing resolution phase.
Source: https://spacenews.com/nasas-acting-leadership-planning-new-agency-structure