The Department of Space just reversed a 2020 rule; now, centre directors can’t approve resignations for mission-critical staff without clearance from the top. Why now? Because losing someone like Aditya Rallapalli; who generated 25TB of Moon landing data; can’t be replaced by a hiring drive. Attrition isn’t new, but this wave hits at the core of India’s space ambitions. The message? National missions come first; even if it means overriding personal career moves. Is this the price of ambition?