• The Trump administration proposes cutting NASA's budget by $6 billion in 2026, shifting focus to Moon and Mars missions.
• Deep cuts target space science missions, including Mars Sample Return, climate monitoring satellites and programs like NASA’s education and infrastructure accounts.
• The proposed budget could negatively impact international partnerships, the space industry supply chain, and lead to the closure of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

President Trump's proposed budget for 2026 includes a significant reduction in NASA's funding, amounting to $6 billion. This represents a 24% decrease from the current budget year. The proposed budget prioritizes crewed missions to the Moon and Mars, with a specific allocation of $1 billion for Mars exploration. This shift in focus comes at the expense of other areas within NASA, particularly space science, earth science and climate monitoring programs. The potential ramifications of these cuts are widespread, affecting international partnerships, the space industry, and NASA's ability to conduct crucial scientific research.

• What: Proposed $6 billion cut to NASA's budget for 2026, reallocating funds to Moon and Mars missions while slashing space science programs.
• Who: President Trump, NASA, Elon Musk/SpaceX, Janet Petro (acting NASA administrator), Casey Dreier (Planetary Society), Congress, Primes (Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin)
• When: Budget proposal released in May 2025 for the 2026 fiscal year. Congress must approve appropriations before October 1st, 2026.
• Where: United States, Moon, Mars, International Space Station (ISS)

The proposed budget represents a significant shift in priorities for NASA, moving away from a broad range of space science and exploration activities towards a more focused effort on crewed missions to the Moon and Mars. This decision, driven by the Trump administration's vision and potentially influenced by figures like Elon Musk, has sparked considerable controversy. The cuts to space science, in particular, have drawn criticism from the scientific community, who warn of the potential long-term damage to American leadership in space and scientific discovery. The impact on international partnerships and the space industry supply chain also raises concerns about the broader implications of this budget proposal. The cuts could also effectively force the closure of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and threaten the financial stability of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

This is a budget that says America is done leading the world in space, that we are a nation turning inward.

We are concerned by significant proposed cuts to civil space funding, particularly to key NASA spaceflight and science programs that sustain a healthy space supply chain and thousands of skilled jobs. These programs are vital for maintaining our global innovative edge and should be enhanced. We are also troubled by the lack of increased investment for the Department of Defense at a time when bold action is needed.

The proposed NASA budget for 2026 represents a major strategic realignment, prioritizing crewed missions to the Moon and Mars, potentially at the expense of long-term scientific advancement and international collaboration. While allocating over $7 billion for lunar exploration and introducing $1 billion for Mars-focused programs aims to solidify American leadership in human space exploration, the plan entails significant cuts to space science, Earth science, and other crucial programs. The proposed budget slashes NASA's overall funding by approximately 24%, with the science budget facing a staggering 47% reduction. This could lead to the termination of several missions, including the Mars Sample Return, and negatively impact climate monitoring, space weather forecasting, and planetary defense. Moreover, the budget proposes phasing out the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft after Artemis III, as well as ending the Gateway program, signaling a shift towards reliance on commercial systems and potentially affecting international partnerships with entities like the European Space Agency (ESA). The ultimate trajectory hinges on Congress, which faces the critical decision of either endorsing this redirection orChart topping a balanced space program that sustains both human exploration and scientific discovery.