America is preparing to land humans on the Moon while quietly proposing to terminate 53 science missions, lay off thousands of researchers, and cancel every partnership with Europe — and calling what

Key Points:

• The White House’s FY 2027 budget request proposes cutting NASA’s total funding by 23%, from $24.4 billion to $18.8 billion, with the Science Mission Directorate facing a 46% cut, marking the lowest inflation-adjusted NASA budget since 1961.
• The budget prioritizes human spaceflight and Artemis Moon program funding, increasing the Exploration directorate by 9%, while significantly cutting Space Technology by 32%, Aeronautics by 35%, and eliminating the Office of STEM Engagement.
• Approximately 53 science missions across heliophysics, Earth science, astrophysics, and planetary science are likely to be terminated, including operating spacecraft like Juno, New Horizons, and Chandra, as well as development projects such as NASA’s entire Venus mission portfolio.
• The proposal breaks several active international partnerships and cuts key Earth science missions monitoring climate and atmospheric CO₂, while preserving missions tied to Artemis and human exploration, reflecting a focus on exploration over scientific merit rankings.
• The budget request has met bipartisan resistance in Congress, with House and Senate members advocating for higher NASA Science funding; the House subcommittee has advanced a bill maintaining NASA’s current topline funding but still cutting science by 17%, and advocacy groups warn the cuts would severely damage U.S. space science leadership and workforce.