{"id":9860,"date":"2025-05-03T21:40:18","date_gmt":"2025-05-03T13:40:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/proposed-24-percent-cut-to-nasa-budget-eliminates-key-artemis-architecture-climate-research\/"},"modified":"2025-05-03T21:40:18","modified_gmt":"2025-05-03T13:40:18","slug":"proposed-24-percent-cut-to-nasa-budget-eliminates-key-artemis-architecture-climate-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/proposed-24-percent-cut-to-nasa-budget-eliminates-key-artemis-architecture-climate-research\/","title":{"rendered":"Proposed 24 percent cut to NASA budget eliminates key Artemis architecture, climate research"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C. Image: NASA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Update May 3, 5:22 p.m. EDT: Corrected the location of Northrop Grumman\u2019s facility housing the HALO module for the Gateway.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The White House released its proposed federal spending budget for Fiscal Year 2026 on Friday and with it a series of deep cuts to most areas of discretionary spending, including to NASA. The requested cuts come, ironically, on National Space Day.<\/p>\n

If adopted as proposed, America\u2019s space agency is facing a 24.3 percent funding cut, dropping it from about $24.8 billion in FY25 to $18.8 billion in FY26. The agency was hoping for a funding increase to get a number of programs back on track following two years of what amounted to spending cuts due to budgets being held at FY24 spending levels.<\/p>\n

That loss in spending will be felt most deeply by the space and Earth science divisions, which would see a loss of $2.3 and $1.2 billion respectively. Conversely, Human Space Exploration would be allocated \u201cover $7 billion for lunar exploration and introducing $1 billion in new investments for Mars-focused programs,\u201d which the White House believes will ensure \u201cthat America\u2019s human space exploration efforts remain unparalleled, innovative, and efficient.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis proposal includes investments to simultaneously pursue exploration of the Moon and Mars while still prioritizing critical science and technology research,\u201d said acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro in a statement. \u201cI appreciate the President\u2019s continued support for NASA\u2019s mission and look forward to working closely with the administration and Congress to ensure we continue making progress toward achieving the impossible.\u201d<\/p>\n

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NASA\u2019s Perseverance took this selfie of itself looking down at one of 10 sample tubes deposited at the sample depot it created in an area nicknamed \u201cThree Forks.\u201d This image was taken by the WATSON camera on the rover\u2019s robotic arm on Jan. 20, 2023, the 684th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. Credit: NASA\/JPL-Caltech\/MSSS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the chopping block for President Donald Trump is the Mars Sample Return mission, which the White House said is \u201cgrossly over budget and whose goals would be achieved by human missions to Mars.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Trump Administration also aims to \u201celiminate funding for low-priority climate monitoring satellites\u201d months after NASA scientists determined that 2024 was the warmest year on record, increasing about 2.65 degrees Fahrenheit (1.47 degrees Celsius) compared to the mid-19th century average.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce again, the temperature record has been shattered \u2014 2024 was the hottest year since record keeping began in 1880,\u201d said then NASA Administrator Bill Nelson back in January. \u201cBetween record breaking temperatures and wildfires currently threatening our centers and workforce in California, it has never been more important to understand our changing planet.\u201d<\/p>\n

In an April 30 letter sent to the leaders of the Senate and House committees that oversee NASA\u2019s budget, several organizations, including the American Astronomical Society, the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration and The Planetary Society, expressed their \u201cprofound alarm\u201d at the proposal that was being reported at the time.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe impact extends far beyond mission hardware. These cuts would eviscerate space science research and analysis programs, crippling university departments, research institutions, and NASA centers,\u201d the letter stated. \u201cIt would decimate the nation\u2019s STEM talent pipeline, eliminating vital training opportunities for the next generation of scientists and engineers and likely lead to widespread layoffs within this highly skilled workforce, both in the government and industry.\u201d<\/p>\n