A new analysis by the nonprofit advocacy group The Planetary Society warns that a massive reduction in funding could jeopardize 54 NASA science missions. The warning follows the White House’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2027, which suggests a drastic shift in how the agency allocates its resources.
The Scale of the Proposed Cuts
The White House has proposed a budget of $18.8 billion for NASA, representing a nearly 46% decrease in funding for the agency’s science programs compared to previous levels.
While White House budget proposals are not legally binding—Congress ultimately decides the final spending—the scale of these cuts signals a potential change in federal priorities. For context, during the current fiscal year, Congress largely resisted similar steep cuts, eventually appropriating $24.4 billion.
Because the new proposal does not explicitly list which projects will be terminated, experts at The Planetary Society analyzed budget documentation to identify the most vulnerable programs.
Key Areas of Impact
The proposed cuts are not distributed evenly across NASA’s departments. The analysis suggests that certain scientific disciplines may face much heavier losses than others:
- Earth Science & Heliophysics: Facing the highest risk, with 17 potential cancellations each.
- Astrophysics & Planetary Science: Each department faces roughly 10 potential cancellations.
What is at Stake?
The list of “at-risk” missions spans from veteran spacecraft currently in deep space to high-priority future explorations.
1. Ongoing and Veteran Missions
Several critical probes that are currently providing data or preparing for new targets could be defunded:
– Juno: Currently studying Jupiter.
– New Horizons: The probe that famously explored Pluto and the Kuiper Belt.
– OSIRIS-APEX: The spacecraft currently preparing to study the asteroid Apophis.
– Chandra & Fermi: Two of the most powerful X-ray and gamma-ray observatories in existence.
2. Future Exploration and Planetary Science
The proposal threatens NASA’s ability to explore our neighbors and participate in major international milestones:
– Venus Exploration: The DAVINCI and VERITAS missions, designed to study the atmosphere and topography of Venus, are on the chopping block.
– Mars Collaboration: NASA’s participation in the ESA-led Rosalind Franklin rover —a mission reshaped after geopolitical shifts dissolved previous partnerships—could be withdrawn.
3. Earth Science and Climate Monitoring
Perhaps most critically for terrestrial stability, the cuts target missions essential to understanding our changing climate:
– Storm Tracking: The CYGNSS and TROPICS satellite constellations, which help forecast tropical storms and wind speeds.
– Climate Data: The veteran Aura satellite and the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO-2/3) series, which are vital for monitoring greenhouse gas emissions.
4. International Scientific Partnerships
The budget could signal a retreat from global scientific cooperation. The analysis suggests the U.S. might withdraw support for several major international projects, including:
– LISA (gravitational waves) and ATHENA (X-ray observatory), both led by the European Space Agency (ESA).
– Support for the Euclid telescope (dark energy) and the Japan-led XRISM mission.
The Broader Context
The tension between NASA’s scientific ambitions and the White House’s fiscal proposals highlights a recurring challenge in space exploration: the struggle for long-term stability.
Scientific missions often require decades of planning and multi-billion dollar commitments. When budget proposals fluctuate wildly from year to year, it creates “budgetary whiplash,” making it difficult for scientists to maintain long-term research trajectories and for international partners to rely on U.S. commitments.
“The FY 2027 President’s Budget Request reflects a clear principle: the United States must lead in space, not only for discovery, but for national prosperity, security, and inspiration,” noted NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman in a letter included in the request.
Conclusion: If Congress follows the White House’s proposed trajectory, NASA faces a fundamental restructuring that could stall planetary exploration, weaken international scientific ties, and diminish our ability to monitor Earth’s changing climate.
