conference, Nye encapsulated it quite concisely: “We’re not discussing delays in scientific discovery, we’re referring to its conclusion.”
These cuts to NASA’s budget are included in Donald Trump’s budget proposal for the fiscal year 2026. The proposal suggests a 47% decrease in NASA’s funding and a one-third reduction in its staff, yet despite this proposal not being ratified by Congress as law, NASA is already initiating steps to adhere to it. This entails a cut of more than 4,000 NASA employees by January 2026.
While it’s unfortunate for anyone to be unemployed, and the implications for the future of space exploration appear grim, numerous individuals are deeming this action unconstitutional. In September 2025, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation released a whistleblower report criticizing NASA’s conduct: They stated that adhering to budget reductions that haven’t been formally enacted is immoral and illegal. At present, NASA’s future is under scrutiny.
