NASA in crisis: Trump's drastic cuts threaten space exploration
Is this the end of American science? The Trump administration plans cuts to NASA's science budget. The lack of funding will significantly impact the space agency, and the decisions of the U.S. president will threaten future space missions.
The Trump administration plans to cut NASA's budget by 20 percent, which means it will be reduced by over 5 billion dollars (CAD 7 billion) from a total of 25 billion (CAD 35 billion). The documents were prepared by the White House Office of Management and Budget, led by Russell Vought, known for his anti-science beliefs. The planned cuts will most affect the Science Mission Directorate, responsible for planetary research and astrophysics.
A budget reduced by even half: Is this a collapse of American science?
According to the Ars Technica portal, NASA's science budget could be reduced by up to 50 percent by 2025. This year's funding was 7.5 billion (CAD 10.4 billion), but from documents handed over to the space agency, it appears that next year NASA can expect only 3.9 billion dollars (CAD 5.4 billion). The largest reductions will impact astrophysics funding, as the budget is set to be cut by over 60 percent. The financial plans for research in heliophysics, planetary sciences, and Earth sciences also appear bleak.
The project for financing the Hubble and James Webb telescopes will continue, but that is the end of the good news. The American administration does not plan to allocate financial resources to other telescopes, including the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which was supposed to start exploring cosmic labyrinths within the next two years.
Space research will be limited, but people will lose their jobs instead
Ending the funding for certain space missions also seems like a strategic decision for the American agency. We will not find out what is happening on Mars because we are saying goodbye to the Mars Sample Return mission. We won't visit Venus because, according to Donald Trump, the DAVINCI mission is unnecessary. Additionally, the future of the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, where 10,000 people work, is in question.
NASA has had a huge contribution to science. Thanks to numerous studies and missions, we explore space and scientists unravel the mysteries of black holes, learning how stars and entire galaxies were born. The American Space Agency has conducted many successful missions in recent years, including the landing of the Perseverance rover on Mars in 2021. Perseverance reached the Jezero Crater, where it collected samples to help us investigate traces of past life on the Red Planet.
Science policy experts argue that the decision of the American government will affect the state of American science. Next year's cuts are described as an "extinction-level event" for NASA.
Where the budget is being cut, does Elon Musk benefit?
Musk is known, among other things, for controversial posts on platform X, for producing popular electric cars that have recently become somewhat less popular, and for serving as director of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in President Donald Trump's administration. This is a special governmental unit established in 2024, aimed at reducing bureaucracy, limiting federal spending, and increasing the efficiency of government agencies. Coincidentally, he is also the owner of SpaceX, which plans to expand into space. Although the company has many contracts with NASA, in the long run, the financial cuts to NASA could also provide SpaceX with some benefits. This is especially true if the company manages to fill the gap left by state programs.
Setting the budget is a complex process that ends with the approval of the federal budget. The process has started, and now NASA has 72 hours to analyze the funding and appeal against the planned decisions. There is still half a year left to determine the total amount.
