PASADENA, Calif. - An estimated 550 workers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena learned of their fate Tuesday.

JPL is federally funded by NASA and managed by Caltech.

What we know:

JPL Director Dave Gallagher said the layoffs are not a result of the government shutdown, according to a memo sent to staff .

Gallagher explained in the publicly released memo that "we are taking steps to restructure and establish an appropriate size to ensure future success." The layoffs affected those who work in JPL’s technical, business, and support areas.

"This week’s action, while not easy, is essential to securing JPL’s future by creating a leaner infrastructure, focusing on our core technical capabilities, maintaining fiscal discipline, and positioning us to compete in the evolving

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