Nearly 4,000 NASA employees have chosen to accept the Trump administration's "deferred resignation" option, reducing the agency's workforce by more than 20%.

In a sweeping move under the Trump administration’s directive to streamline federal agencies, NASA is set to lose nearly 3,870 employees through a voluntary resignation programme, raising concerns about talent drain and mission safety.

NASA will lose roughly 3,870 employees through a voluntary resignation program, part of a broad push from President Donald Trump’s administration to reduce the federal workforce.