JPL Contract Competition
NASA has announced it will open the contract for operating the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to competition. The current agreement with the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) ends on September 30, 2028.
Caltech has managed JPL since the 1930s, including since NASA's establishment in 1958. According to a JPL statement, Caltech has been preparing for this transition since summer 2024.
JPL is a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) and one of NASA's field centers. As an FFRDC, it operates under a contractual framework designed to align work with national priorities while maintaining separation between government decision-making and contractor execution.
Caltech has managed JPL since the 1930s, including since NASA's establishment in 1958.
Separate NASA Reorganization
On May 22, 2025, NASA announced a separate major reorganization. Administrator Jared Isaacman stated the initiative aims to focus resources on pressing objectives and reduce bureaucracy. Key changes include:
- Merging Exploration Systems Development and Space Operations mission directorates into the Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate (HSMD).
- Merging Aeronautics Research and Space Technology mission directorates into the Research and Technology Mission Directorate (RTMD).
- Multiple leadership changes, including John Bailey (associate administrator for Mission Support Directorate), Jamie Dunn (director of Goddard Space Flight Center), and Lori Glaze (associate administrator for HMD).
- Adam Steltzner, former JPL chief engineer, appointed as NASA's chief engineer for special projects.
Isaacman stated there will be no reduction in force, no program cancellations, and no closures.
The author notes that they previously worked at NASA JPL.