The Trump administration has put forth a budget proposal aimed at cutting approximately 25% of NASA’s budget for 2026. This plan would not only reduce the crew sizes aboard the International Space Station (ISS) but also diminish the amount of research conducted there. Conversely, it introduces new funding initiatives likely to benefit Elon Musk’s SpaceX, emphasizing human missions to Mars and a renewed focus on overtaking China in lunar exploration.
These proposed cuts are part of President Trump’s budget for the upcoming year, which includes a $508 million reduction from the ISS budget. This would lead to a decreased crew capacity and a shift in research priorities toward initiatives deemed critical for Moon and Mars missions. Additionally, $2.265 billion is proposed to be cut from space science missions, including the termination of the Mars Sample Return mission, with claims that its objectives can be fulfilled through human missions to Mars.
Simultaneously, the proposal outlines $1 billion earmarked for Mars-centric initiatives, though it lacks detailed allocations. As reported by The New York Times, it is expected that Musk’s SpaceX will pursue NASA funding to support an unmanned Starship mission to Mars, which Musk has projected to launch next year. Furthermore, an additional $7 billion would be allocated for lunar exploration, suggesting a shift away from NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft in favor of future commercial options. The Lunar Gateway program would also face termination upon completion of the Artemis III mission, according to NASA.
In addition, the budget plan proposes a $1.161 billion reduction in earth sciences, impacting funding for "low-priority climate monitoring satellites." It also seeks to cut $346 million in funding for “green aviation” initiatives focused on climate, redirecting that money toward air traffic control and defense budgets, along with a $143 million cut to STEM engagement programs.
Casey Dreier, the chief of space policy at the nonprofit Planetary Society, remarked to The New York Times that this proposal represents “the largest single-year cut to NASA in American history” and indicates a troubling trend of the U.S. stepping back from its leadership role in space exploration, signaling a shift toward a more insular national approach.
