The cuts proposed on NASA would decimate the science of space
You have now probably heard of the global drastic cuts of science proposed by the Trump administration. This weekend, the buzz is focused on the NASA scientific program. This is the program that sent the New Horizons Mission to Pluto and beyond, for example, and found thousands of exoplanetsor distant worlds outside our solar system. NASA published the details of its new budget – indicating what missions would be canceled – Friday May 30, 2025. Spacenews.com reported the same day::
NASA has published more information on its 2026 exercise budget proposed on May 30, describing new investments in exploration at the expense of the cancellation of dozens of scientific missions and the reduction of thousands of jobs.
The documents provide more details on the high -level budget proposal for what the White House management and budget office (OMB) revealed in its “meager” budget published four weeks earlier. NASA has published budgetary documents on its late website a Friday without fanfare and without the traditional budget briefing by leadership of the agency.
This high -level budget of $ 18.8 billion would be a decrease of approximately a quarter compared to almost $ 24.9 billion that he received during the year 2025. It is the strongest reduction from one year to the other proposed for NASA and that the agency’s (overall) budget was seen for the last time in 1961 when corrected for inflation.
With budget cuts, job cuts will be cuts to NASA. A table of the budgetary document notes that NASA has 17,391 officials financed directly during the year 2025, but this would drop to 11,853 under the proposal for the year 2026, a reduction of 1/3.
It is therefore a proposed reduction of $ 6 billion in the NASA budget for the 2026 financial year, which represents a global reduction of 24% compared to the previous year. But planetary science should take an even greater blow. Read the rest.
Stunning cuts to space science
The Planetary Society sponsors a petition that anyone, anywhere in the world, can sign. The petition readingin part:
The White House budget request for the 2026 exercise offers a shocking reduction of 47% of the funding for the NASA scientific mission management (reduction of the fleet of spaceships already in space or proposed). This represents an event in terms of extinction for earth and space sciences, forcing the useless end of dozens of productive space vessels, delaying or canceling budget development projects and reducing opportunities for future scientists and engineers.
To read the entire petition and add your name, visit this page.
Maybe losing this kind of programs is not important to you. But if you are among those who care about it and you wonder what you can do about it, read the rest. To start, if you are a citizen of the United States, you can contact your representatives and tell them what you think. And anyone, anywhere in the world, can sign the petition of planetary society.
Keep in mind that these proposed budget cuts are only that: proposals. Congress must approve the budget. There is therefore still time to contact your representatives and speak for science. Here’s how to find your representatives in the House of deputies. And here is how to find your senators. Or search for your representatives at US Congress page.
Here are some of the missions against cuts
Here are some stories about NASA’s missions that face budget cuts and possible elimination:
The Osiris-Apex mission heads to Asteroid Apophis
New Horizons finds evidence of the 2nd Kuiper belt
Juno identifies the most extreme volcanic activity on IO to date
The cuts proposed in NASA and the NSF feel as when the Islamic State has destroyed the monuments of Palmyra with hammers. These things do not only pay for themselves, but they return several dollars for each $ 1 spent. Kill science, kill the fallout, startups, patents, talent basin and global influence.
– Dr James O’Donoghue? (@ interplanetary.bsky.social)) May 30, 2025 at 5.35 p.m.
Conclusion: The cuts offered by the NASA White House would eliminate many existing and future space missions. Anyone from the world can Sign this petition.