NASA Programs in Budget Crosshairs: What’s Thriving and What’s Struggling?

Budget would eliminate several projects that are hitting proposed targets or actively conducting valuable research.

Jack Daleo

Wednesday, July 09, 2025 at 04:36 PM ET

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Jack Daleo

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket is among projects in the crosshairs of the White House’s fiscal year 2026 budget. [Courtesy: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

The White House's FY2026 budget proposes a dramatic 24 percent cut to NASA's funding, the largest single-year reduction in the agency's history, shifting focus from science to human space exploration.
The proposal aims to phase out "grossly expensive and delayed" projects like the Orion capsule and Space Launch System (SLS) after Artemis III, favoring commercial alternatives, while also drastically slashing numerous successful and ongoing science missions.
The budget faces strong bipartisan congressional opposition, with Congress having already allocated funds for some targeted projects, and is leading to significant NASA workforce reductions as employees accept buyout offers.

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The White House’s fiscal year 2026 budget request proposes a dramatic 24 percent cut to NASA’s funding, slashing it from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion—the largest single-year reduction in the agency’s history, per The Planetary Society.

The request takes aim at projects it describes as “grossly expensive and delayed.” But many programs in the crosshairs are hitting their cost and schedule targets. Some are actively exploring outer space.