Kristina Roberts
NASA, the United States’ space agency, is going through one of its biggest challenges ever due to possible budget cuts that could cancel dozens of important science missions. The situation has become even more complicated because of a disagreement between former President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, the billionaire behind SpaceX, a company that works closely with NASA.
The space agency has asked Congress for a smaller budget, which would mean cutting nearly half of its science funding. If approved, this could shut down around 40 missions, including projects studying other planets and monitoring Earth’s climate. NASA relies on SpaceX’s rockets, like the Falcon 9, to send supplies and astronauts to the International Space Station. The agency also plans to use SpaceX’s Starship rocket for future Moon and Mars missions. But if the budget cuts happen, many of these plans could be in trouble.
A space scientist, Dr. Simeon Barber, said the uncertainty is causing serious problems for space exploration. “The sudden changes and arguments we’ve seen recently are shaking the foundation of what we do,” he explained. “Space missions need long-term planning and teamwork between governments, companies, and universities. Right now, that stability is missing.”
The budget cuts aren’t just because of the Trump-Musk disagreement. The White House has proposed reducing NASA’s overall budget by almost a quarter, except for programs focused on sending astronauts to Mars, which actually got extra funding. According to Casey Dreier, an expert from the Planetary Society, this could be the worst crisis NASA has ever faced.
NASA says these changes will help them focus more on Moon and Mars missions. But experts like Dr. Adam Baker believe this shift means NASA will only prioritize two things: landing astronauts on the Moon before China and planting an American flag on Mars. “Everything else is being treated as less important,” he said.
Supporters of the budget cuts argue that NASA has lost its direction over the years, becoming slow and wasteful. They point to the Space Launch System (SLS), NASA’s expensive Moon rocket, which costs billions per launch. In comparison, SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s New Glenn rockets are much cheaper because they are reusable. The new budget plan suggests replacing the SLS with these private rockets. However, Starship has faced multiple failed test launches, and Blue Origin’s rocket is still in early testing.
Dr. Barber warned that this switch might not be smooth. “NASA could be jumping from one problem into another,” he said. “If SpaceX or Blue Origin run into financial trouble and ask for more money, Congress will have no choice but to give it to them.”
The most worrying part of the budget cuts is the possible loss of 40 science missions. Many of these projects study other planets or track climate change on Earth. Some are already in space, meaning most of the money has been spent, and shutting them down would only save a small amount.
Two major missions with the European Space Agency (ESA) are also at risk. One is a plan to bring Martian rock samples back to Earth, collected by NASA’s Perseverance rover. The other is Europe’s Rosalind Franklin rover, which would search for signs of past life on Mars.
Professor Sir Martin Sweeting, a UK space expert, said this could push Europe to become more independent in space exploration. “Maybe we’ve relied too much on NASA,” he said. “This could be a chance for Europe to take more control of its own space projects.”
But in the short term, Europe could face big problems. If NASA’s budget is cut, ESA might lose access to the International Space Station and see delays in the Lunar Gateway, a planned Moon-orbiting space station that NASA helps fund.
Earth observation programs are also on the chopping block. These missions help scientists track climate change, natural disasters, and pollution. Dr. Baker called them our “early warning system” for environmental threats. “If we lose these programs, we won’t be able to predict or prepare for climate disasters as effectively,” he said.
The budget proposal still needs approval from Congress. Some lawmakers, including Republicans, have privately said they might vote against the cuts. But there’s a risk that political disagreements could lead to no budget being passed at all. If that happens, NASA might have to work with the reduced budget temporarily, which could become permanent because once missions are shut down, restarting them is nearly impossible.
The future of NASA’s science missions now hangs in the balance. With so many projects at risk, the decisions made in the coming months could shape space exploration for years to come. As Dr. Barber put it, “What took decades to build could be destroyed very quickly—with no plan to rebuild it.”
