Senator Mark Kelly and prominent science educator Bill Nye have issued warnings about potential cuts to NASA's research programs as Congress considers the agency's 2026 funding.
Both addressed concerns about proposed reductions that could affect the space agency's scientific work. The fiscal year 2026 budget proposal suggests cutting NASA's overall funding from $24.9 billion to $18.8 billion, representing a 25% decrease.
"[Bill Nye] and I have an important message: Science at NASA is in danger. NASA science gives us so much more than rockets and moon rocks. It grows our economy, strengthens national security, and creates entirely new industries and jobs,” Senator Mark Kelly shared in an X post.
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The proposed budget includes a 47% reduction in NASA's science programs, dropping funding from current levels to $3.9 billion.
Space News reports that this would potentially eliminate more than 40 research projects and missions currently in development or operation, according to space policy analysts.
Kelly emphasized the interconnected nature of NASA's scientific work, noting that "scientific research at NASA is in danger."
Jenga Tower Analogy
Both Kelly and Nye used an analogy to describe the potential impact, commenting that "NASA science and innovation is like this tower (Jenga tower), every block, piece by piece, built over decades. Earth science. Astrophysics. Planetary science. Space exploration. All of it builds on what came before and expands our knowledge." "But when you start pulling out support, getting rid of thousands of NASA's most experienced engineers and scientists. Threatening to cancel space missions that have been years or even decades in the making, it breaks," they explained.
The workforce implications are significant, with NASA's civil servant count potentially dropping from approximately 17,000 to 11,000 positions under the proposed budget.
The proposed changes back in May would affect multiple scientific disciplines, including planetary research, Earth observation, astrophysics, and solar studies.
Proposed Budget
However, the budget includes increased funding for Mars exploration initiatives, allocating over $1 billion for human Mars mission development.
Alongside, new programs proposed in the budget include $864 million for commercial Moon-to-Mars transportation systems and funding for Mars surface technology development, including specialized spacesuits for Martian conditions.
The budget proposal represents the most significant year-over-year reduction suggested for NASA in decades.
"Gutting NASA science? It's a bad idea," Kelly warned.
