Report Warns NASA Faces Critical Challenges Amid Aging Infrastructure and Budget Constraints

Experts urge increased funding or mission cuts to address systemic issues threatening the agency's future capabilities.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report highlights NASA's aging infrastructure, with 83% of facilities exceeding their designed lifespan.
NASA's budget, adjusted for inflation, has remained flat for decades, significantly limiting its ability to invest in long-term infrastructure and technology.
The agency faces a talent drain as experienced engineers retire or move to higher-paying private sector jobs, exacerbating workforce challenges.
NASA's focus on short-term missions over long-term strategic planning has led to underfunding of essential capabilities and infrastructure maintenance.
The report recommends either increasing NASA's funding or cutting some missions to reallocate resources towards infrastructure, workforce, and technology development.