Following historic Artemis II mission, 170+ citizen advocates to descend on Capitol Hill to save NASA from White House’s “extinction-level” cuts

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 17, 2026) — Days after the historic return of Artemis II, more than 170 members of The Planetary Society will converge in Washington, D.C., on April 20, to save NASA’s science budget. They will meet directly with members of Congress to urge rejection of the administration's extreme proposal to cut NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) by 46% — an extinction-level event for American space science and one that has drawn alarm from scientists, former astronauts, and bipartisan lawmakers alike.

Joining them will be Bill Nye, Chief Ambassador of The Planetary Society.

"Last year, The Planetary Society went to Washington and organized the largest movement for space science in history and successfully prevented draconian cuts to NASA," said Nye. "We will do it again. If the recent Artemis II mission showed us anything, it's that the public, across the political spectrum, strongly supports space exploration, scientific discovery, and a deeper understanding of the universe and our place within it."

The White House's fiscal year 2027 budget request would slash NASA science funding from $7.25 billion to $3.9 billion — the lowest level since 1984 in inflation-adjusted terms. If implemented, the cuts would terminate more than 50 active science missions and projects, eliminate thousands of science and engineering jobs, waste more than $13 billion in taxpayer investments already spent to build and launch those spacecraft, and break more than a dozen international partnerships.

A group of 15 former NASA astronauts has also spoken out, warning that cuts of this magnitude would cede U.S. leadership in space to other nations. Their concern is backed by the legislative record: earlier this year, the House voted 397–28 and the Senate voted 82–15 to reject proposed cuts to NASA science of nearly identical scale in fiscal year 2026.

The alarm extends well beyond the space community. Congressional Planetary Science Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) and Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) — who just weeks ago led more than 100 bipartisan House members in a letter urging $9 billion for NASA science in FY 2027 — called the proposed cuts deeply troubling. "These drastic cuts would create enormous chaos and uncertainty for critical missions, the scientific workforce, and long-term research planning," they said in a joint statement. "NASA Science supports thousands of jobs and is essential to U.S. national security and leadership in space exploration, scientific discovery, and technological innovation."

In the Senate, 22 members led by former NASA astronaut Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) submitted a complementary appropriations request letter urging a restoration of funding for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate at $9 billion in FY 2027. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS), Chair of the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees NASA funding has also publicly voiced skepticism on the proposed cuts.

At stake are more than 50 missions spanning every major discipline of space science — from planetary exploration to astrophysics to Earth science — including the New Horizons mission beyond Pluto, the Chandra X-ray Great Observatory, the Fermi Gamma Ray space telescope, numerous active Mars missions, and dozens more currently in producing high-quality science  or moving forward in development.

Participants, who travel to D.C. on their own dime, come from communities across the country and will bring to this Day of Action a clear message: Congress must reject the proposed cuts and protect NASA science funding at no less than $7.48 billion to ensure the NASA can lead breakthrough science missions on behalf of the nation.

Press Resources

Two media opportunities are available. Please RSVP with Jonah Bryson at [email protected] to be kept informed of any last-minute changes.

1. Advocate Gathering at the Capitol Reflecting Pool — April 20, 8:30 a.m. ET More than 170 Planetary Society members will gather before heading to the Hill. Planetary Society spokespeople will be available for comment. (Map)
2. Igniting Discovery: How NASA Science Fuels American Leadership in Science — April 21, 2:00–3:30 p.m. ET A Capitol Hill showcase highlighting the missions, discoveries, and innovations driving American leadership in space science.
   
   Additional resources:

• Spokespeople from The Planetary Society are available for interviews. Contact Danielle Gunn at [email protected] to arrange.
• The Planetary Society's Day of Action hub
• The Planetary Society's Save NASA Science hub
• Print-ready, open-license charts outlining the cuts to NASA’s budget in FY 2027

Images from The Planetary Society's Day of Action on October 6, 2025: