The NASA science budget is facing drastic reductions, potentially being cut nearly in half under an early version of President Donald Trump’s budget proposal to Congress. This alarming development could jeopardize billions of dollars in ongoing and future scientific missions, according to two individuals with direct knowledge of the administration’s fiscal plans.
The proposed budget plan, communicated to NASA by the Office of Management and Budget, allocates only $3.9 billion to NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. This represents a significant decrease from its current budget of approximately $7.3 billion. The individuals who shared this information requested anonymity, as they were not authorized to publicly discuss the specifics of the budgetary changes.
If enacted, this budget cut could have severe implications for NASA’s future endeavors in space exploration and scientific research. Programs dedicated to critical missions may face termination or severe scaling back, hindering the progress of various projects that rely on federal funding.
The Science Mission Directorate at NASA is pivotal in advancing our understanding of the universe. It supports a wide array of missions that explore planetary science, astrophysics, and Earth science. A reduction in funding could stall groundbreaking research and discovery, undermining years of scientific advancement.
