NASA faces a sweeping 24.3% budget reduction under the White House's proposed federal budget for Fiscal Year 2026, forcing the space agency to cancel or dramatically scale back several high-profile programs.
The proposal would slash NASA's budget from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion, with the Science Mission Directorate bearing the heaviest cuts at 47%. This impacts missions monitoring climate change, natural disasters, and global food production.
Among the most notable cancellations is the Mars Sample Return mission, which aimed to bring Martian rocks and soil back to Earth for study. The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion crew capsule program would end after the Artemis III mission. The Lunar Gateway space station project faces termination, despite its first module recently arriving from Italy.
While earlier reports indicated the Artemis moon program would be limited to just Artemis II and III missions, NASA clarified that the program will continue under a revised structure, with details expected in coming weeks.
The proposal shifts focus toward commercial partnerships and prioritizes human missions to the Moon and Mars, allocating over $7 billion for lunar exploration and increasing Mars-focused programs by $1 billion. Plans also include transitioning the International Space Station to commercial operators by 2030.
The American Astronomical Society expressed concerns about the broader impact of science funding cuts across federal agencies. "These proposed cuts will result in the loss of American leadership in science," the society warned. "The U.S. will lose at least a generation of talent to other countries that are increasing their investments."
The budget must still undergo congressional review, where lawmakers will make final funding decisions.