The Planetary Society united every living NASA science chief in opposition to the unprecedented budget cuts. The entire past leadership of NASA’s science activities have released a joint statement condemning the proposed 47% cuts proposed to the agency’s science activities in the White House’s fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget proposal. The statement was coordinated by Planetary Society board member and former NASA astronaut John Grunsfeld. Read the statement here.
Hear what scientists behind threatened NASA missions say about what’s at stake. The Planetary Society interviewed scientists behind the missions facing cancellation in the FY2026 budget to hear first-hand about what is at risk. These world-class experts have devoted decades of their lives to these missions. Here is what they have to say, in their own words.
The congressional reconciliation bill rejects major changes to human spaceflight in FY 2026. H.R. 1, which was voted into law by Congress, is a bill that primarily focuses on taxation and mandatory spending. However, a provision included by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) provides $10 billion for NASA. But this amount does not support NASA’s science program. Instead, it funds NASA to build the SLS rockets for Artemis IV and V, the Gateway lunar station, and provides $1 billion for infrastructure improvements at human spaceflight centers around the country. Learn more about what this bill means for NASA.
What might the future of space look like? YouTuber and science communicator Kyle Hill recently hosted The Planetary Society’s space policy experts Jack Kiraly and Casey Dreier on his channel to discuss the recent cuts to NASA’s funding and what that means for the future of science in space. Watch the full video here.
The President has tapped the Secretary of Transportation to take over temporary leadership of NASA. Late on July 9, President Trump issued a directive that the current acting NASA Administrator, Janet Petro, be replaced immediately by Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy. This would be the first time that NASA, an independent agency, would be run by the head of another department of the federal government. The President, in his announcement of the change, indicated that the move would be temporary as the administration searches for a new nominee for NASA Administrator.