Washington: NASA announced on Tuesday the dismissal of his main scientist and others to comply with orders from President Donald Trump, which marked the latest in a series of administrative actions undermining climate change research.

While the move only affects 23 people, a spokeswoman indicated that more cuts are coming.

The first round in particular eliminates the office of chief scientist, led by Katherine Calvin, a famous climatologist who contributed to key climate reports.

She and other US delegates were also excluded from attending a major climate science meeting in China last month.

“To optimize our workforce and in accordance with a executive order, NASA begins its phase approach to a reduction in effect, known as a rif,” said agency spokeswoman Cheryl Warner.

“A small number of persons received notification on March 10, they are part of NASA’s RIF. If they are eligible, these employees may choose to participate in the voluntary guided authority or Vera or complete the RIF process.”

Office of Technology, Policy and Strategy and Strategy and Strategy, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility on Office of Technology, Policy and Strategy and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Branch of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

NASA has so far avoided the deep cuts affecting other agencies, reportedly due to intervention at the last minute from Jared Isaacman, Trump’s nominees to NASA chief. Isaacman, a billionaire and SpaceX customer, is seen as close to Elon Musk-Trumpp’s most important adviser and architect for federal cost-saving efforts.

By February, NASA had prepared to dismiss about a thousand probationary employees. However, Isaacman allegedly asked for the cuts to be put on, according to Ars Technica. NASA has not explained the conversion.

The new redundancies, first reported by NASA Watch, citing an internal memo, could signal a shift away from research and against investigation.

Trump and Musk both support a human mission to Mars. In his State of the Union address last week, Trump declared that the United States would “plant the American flag on planet Mars and even far beyond.”

NASA plays a crucial role in climate research, operates a fleet of soil monitoring of satellites, performs airborne and terrestrial studies, develops sophisticated climate models and provides open source data to researchers and the public.

Trump, who has called climate change a “scam” and expressed contempt for the UN and climate science, has already pulled the United States out of the Paris Agreement for the second time.

Meanwhile, his administration has dismissed hundreds of employees at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the country’s other central climate crash, with several expected cuts.