The Planetary Society condemns deep, damaging 24% cut to NASA’s budget

Pasadena, CA (May 2, 2025) — The Planetary Society strongly opposes the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget blueprint, which proposes a 24% reduction to NASA’s top-line funding. This proposed cut would represent a historic step backward for American leadership in space science, exploration, and innovation.

The White House has proposed the largest single-year cut to NASA in American history.

It would recklessly slash NASA’s science budget by 47%, forcing widespread terminations of functional missions worth billions of dollars.

Slashing NASA’s budget by this much, this quickly, without the input of a confirmed NASA Administrator or in response to a considered policy goal, won’t make the agency more efficient — it will cause chaos, waste the taxpayers’ investment, and undermine American leadership in space.

Additionally, this budget, as overseen by OMB Director Russ Vought, is not supportive of President Trump’s own stated goal that America must “lead the way in fueling the pursuit of space discovery and exploration.” The OMB’s budget proposal is fundamentally at odds with the President’s vision for American space leadership.

We urge Congress to swiftly reject this destructive proposal and instead pursue a path consistent with the President’s vision. This is an opportunity for bipartisan agreement to secure an efficient, capable, and balanced national space program worthy of the nation it aims to represent.

The Planetary Society has coordinated a joint letter to Congress calling for full restoration of NASA’s science funding in FY 2026. The letter continues to build momentum, with new signatories expanding the coalition of science, industry, and public advocacy organizations united in opposition to the proposed cuts.

To follow the latest updates, analysis, and figures as the budget process continues, visit our NASA Budget Resource Hub at planetary.org/save-nasa-science.

Initial signatories to the Joint Letter Include:

• The Planetary Society
• American Astronomical Society
• American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
• Coalition for Deep Space Exploration
• Commercial Space Federation
• Explore Mars, Inc.
• The Mars Society
• Planetary Science Institute

New signatories

• American Geophysical Union
• Aspiring Martians
• Open Lunar Foundation
• The Mars Foundation
• Scientific Society for Astrobiology

Additional Press Resources

• Casey Dreier, chief of space policy, is available for interviews. Please arrange with Danielle Gunn, chief communications officer, at [email protected]
• NASA Budget Resource Hub by The Planetary Society