NASA's $5 Billion Nightmare: The Real Cost Of These Budget Cuts

The Trump administration has proposed devastating cuts to NASA’s science programs in its preliminary FY2026 budget request, obtained by Ars Technica. The plan would reduce NASA’s overall budget by roughly 20% ($5 billion), with nearly half of those cuts targeting the agency’s Science Mission Directorate – the division responsible for planetary exploration, Earth science, astrophysics, and heliophysics.

Key Impacts of the Proposed Cuts

Astrophysics would lose two-thirds of its funding ($487 million remaining)
Heliophysics faces a 67% reduction ($455 million)
Earth science programs would be halved ($1.033 billion)
Planetary science takes a 30% hit ($1.929 billion)

The budget would cancel several major projects including:
✓ The fully-built Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (scheduled for 2026 launch)
✓ The Mars Sample Return mission
✓ The DAVINCI Venus probe

It also threatens the future of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, which employs 10,000 workers. While Hubble and James Webb would continue operating, no funding would remain for other telescopes or new astrophysics missions.

Contradictory Signals from Leadership

The proposal comes just days after:

NASA’s acting administrator dismissed earlier reports of massive cuts as “rumors”
Trump’s NASA nominee Jared Isaacman voiced strong support for science programs during his confirmation hearing

Science advocates warn these cuts would represent an “extinction-level event” for NASA’s most productive division – responsible for breakthroughs like Mars helicopter flights, Pluto flybys, and discoveries of alien ocean worlds.

What Happens Next?

NASA has 72 hours to appeal portions of the draft budget
A final “President’s Budget Request” should emerge within 4-6 weeks
Congress will then negotiate the actual budget (likely rejecting many cuts)

“This massive cut to NASA Science will not stand,” vowed Rep. George Whitesides (D-CA), warning it would “decimate American leadership in space.” However, budget delays could let the White House temporarily enforce these cuts starting October 1.

The proposal reflects the priorities of Trump budget chief Russell Vought, whose “Center for Renewing America” has long advocated shrinking science funding. With NASA’s science programs currently delivering historic discoveries weekly, astronomers and planetary scientists are preparing for a major budget battle on Capitol Hill.