NASA Budget Proposal Boosts Human Exploration at Expense of Science

‘Skinny’ funding prioritizes a focus on moon and Mars missions over science and projects characterized as ‘grossly expensive.’

Jack Daleo

Friday, May 02, 2025 at 03:04 PM ET

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Jack Daleo

The White House proposes prioritizing human space exploration missions to Mars over science on Earth and other programs. [Courtesy: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory]

Key Takeaways:

The White House's FY2026 budget proposes a significant 25% reduction in NASA's overall funding, from $25 billion to $18.8 billion.
This budget reallocates funds to prioritize human space exploration for Moon and Mars missions, while enacting deep cuts or terminations to science programs, Earth science, space technology, and legacy systems like SLS and Orion (after Artemis III).
The proposed cuts face strong opposition from space science groups and industry, who warn of chaos, wasted investments, and a potential loss of American leadership in science and space exploration.

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The White House on Friday released its fiscal year 2026 discretionary budget request, proposing a dramatic reduction in NASA’s overall funding from about $25 billion to $18.8 billion, or about 25 percent. But not all programs will be affected equally.

The discretionary or “skinny” budget is akin to a blueprint and is an early step in the process. It could change as it moves through the legislature. But the initial proposal props up NASA human space exploration while casting a dark shadow over the space agency’s science and other programs. The Mars Sample Return mission, Space Launch System rocket, Orion capsule, and Gateway space station all face impacts from cuts to their respective programs.