The Trump administration has unveiled a proposal that would significantly reduce NASA’s budget for 2026, cutting approximately 25% and impacting the crew sizes onboard the International Space Station (ISS) along with the volume of research conducted there. The proposal simultaneously allocates new funding that is expected to favor Elon Musk’s SpaceX, emphasizing human missions to Mars while also prioritizing efforts to outpace China in lunar exploration.
These proposed reductions are part of President Trump’s budget outline for the upcoming fiscal year. The plan seeks to cut $508 million from the ISS budget, which would decrease the crew size and refocus its limited research capacity on essential Moon and Mars exploration initiatives. Additionally, $2.265 billion would be trimmed from space science missions, which includes the elimination of the Mars Sample Return mission, with arguments positing that its goals would instead be met through human expeditions to the Martian surface.
In parallel, the proposal earmarks $1 billion for “Mars-focused programs,” though specifics regarding the allocation of these funds remain unclear. According to The New York Times, it is likely that Musk’s SpaceX will pursue NASA funding to aid in an uncrewed Starship mission to Mars, which Musk has claimed will launch within the next year. An additional $7 billion is set aside for lunar exploration with indications that NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion capsule may be phased out in favor of commercial alternatives. The proposal also suggests concluding the Lunar Gateway initiative following the Artemis III mission, as detailed by NASA.
The initiative further cuts $1.161 billion allocated for earth sciences, ceasing funding for programs such as “low-priority climate monitoring satellites.” Additionally, $346 million in spending on “climate-focused ‘green aviation’” will be reduced to divert funds toward air traffic control and military spending, alongside a decrease of $143 million in STEM engagement initiatives.
Russell Vought, the director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, submitted the budget proposal to the Senate Committee on Appropriations on Friday, stating that a comprehensive fiscal plan will be forthcoming. According to Ars Technica, it will be up to Congress to draft the official budget.
Casey Dreier, head of space policy at the nonprofit Planetary Society, remarked to The New York Times that this budget plan represents “the largest single-year cut to NASA in American history,” suggesting it reflects a shift in America’s leadership role in space exploration and hints at a nation increasingly looking inward.
