Overview

• The White House budget request cuts NASA’s funding by 24% to $18.8 billion, reallocating resources toward crewed lunar and Mars exploration while slashing science programs.
• Senate appropriators have proposed a $24.9 billion FY2026 budget for NASA, seeking to preserve existing missions and retain the Space Launch System and Orion programs.
• More than 2,145 senior employees have accepted early retirement offers, buyouts or deferred resignations, prompting warnings about lost managerial and technical expertise.
• Agency leaders have instructed mission teams to prepare formal closeout plans by October 1 for projects at risk under the proposed budget.
• Former Science Mission Directorate heads and bipartisan lawmakers have urged Congress to reject the cuts and restore funding to $24.9 billion to save dozens of science missions.