Pasadena, CA (July 7, 2025) — In a significant move, every living former head of NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) has united to condemn the White House's proposed 47% cuts to NASA science activities outlined in the fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget proposal. This powerful joint statement has been sent to the leadership of the House and Senate appropriations committees, highlighting the critical importance of maintaining robust funding for NASA's scientific endeavors.
The letter, which was made public today, warns that the White House's budget proposal would “walk away from dozens of current, extraordinarily successful and productive science missions.” Furthermore, it stresses that such cuts would effectively halt nearly all future investments in exploration and innovation. The signatories of this urgent letter — John Grunsfeld, Alphonso Diaz, Lennard Fisk, Wesley Huntress, Alan Stern, Edward Weiler, and Thomas Zurbuchen — have all held the position of Associate Administrator for NASA's science program and possess extensive experience in leading NASA's scientific initiatives.
The former NASA leaders are imploring Congress to take action to preserve U.S. leadership in space exploration by rejecting the unprecedented cuts proposed by the White House’s Budget Director, Russ Vought. “NASA science endeavors are exercises in long-term national commitment that pay dividends to the American people,” the letter states. The signatories emphasize the long-term consequences of these proposed cuts, warning of the potential loss of human knowledge and inspiration.
With a collective experience that spans nearly four decades of leadership at NASA, the former SMD heads have served under every administration from Reagan to Biden. Their unified stance underscores the critical necessity of maintaining funding for NASA's science missions, which have historically contributed immensely to our understanding of the universe.
Founded in 1980 by renowned figures such as Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray, and Louis Friedman, The Planetary Society has grown to become the world’s largest and most influential space advocacy organization, boasting a global community of over 2 million space enthusiasts. Today, under the leadership of CEO Bill Nye, The Planetary Society empowers the public to play a meaningful role in advancing space exploration through advocacy, educational outreach, scientific innovation, and global collaboration.
With the support of members and advocates, The Planetary Society is dedicated to exploring worlds, discovering life beyond Earth, and safeguarding our planet from hazardous asteroids. To learn more about their initiatives and how you can get involved, visit www.planetary.org.
