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With Budget Reduced to 1961 Levels, NASA Deactivates Probes, Halts International Collaborations, and Threatens Its Position as a Space Power
The NASA budget proposal for 2026, released on Friday night, revealed the direct impact of the order from the Trump administration: the U.S. space agency will be forced to terminate 41 scientific missions and eliminate about one-third of its workforce. This measure represents the hardest blow in decades to U.S. space science and calls into question the country’s historical leadership in cosmic exploration.
Among the projects that will be immediately suspended are iconic names such as the New Horizons probe, which made history by flying past Pluto; the Juno orbiter, which studies Jupiter; and the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, currently en route to intercept the asteroid Apophis, near Earth.
41 Missions Canceled: The Disassembly of One-Third of NASA’s Science
In total, the released documents list 41 missions that will be terminated — equivalent to about one-third of the agency’s entire scientific portfolio. The cuts mainly affect Earth observation programs and initiatives related to Mars, but impact nearly all areas of space research.
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The proposed budget envisions a 25% reduction in the agency’s resources compared to 2025, which would bring NASA’s investments to levels similar to those of 1961, when adjusted for inflation. The scientific area will be particularly affected: cuts reach 47% compared to the current budget. Furthermore, a staff reduction is expected, with the number of directly funded employees dropping from 17,391 to 11,853 — a loss of over one-third of the workforce.
Earth, Mars, Moon: The Impact on All Fronts
The cuts affect both missions that were in full operation and strategic projects in early phases. The Mars Sample Return mission, for example, will be halted, along with the Mars Odyssey and MAVEN orbiters, which still monitor the red planet.
The European Space Agency (ESA) was also indirectly affected. This is because NASA decided to cancel the provision of thrusters and the launcher vehicle it had promised for the Rosalind Franklin rover mission, seriously compromising the future of the European project.
The disassembly does not spare even the most accessible initiatives: New Horizons and Juno, which operate on reduced budgets, will also be deactivated. The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will continue, but with only half the initially planned resources.
In the area of lunar exploration, the situation is critical. The Gateway orbital platform, which would be essential for operations around the Moon, will be canceled. The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion capsule, fundamental for the Artemis program — which aimed to send astronauts to the natural satellite — will see their development halted starting in 2027. Without them, the crewed lunar mission loses its main means of transportation.
A “Scientific Extinction,” According to Experts
The scientific community’s response was immediate — and forceful. The Planetary Society, one of the most respected entities advocating for space exploration, classified the proposal as a “extinction event” for NASA’s science. “It will deeply harm the agency’s highly skilled workforce, abandon national priorities, and weaken education and outreach in STEM,” the organization stated in an official note.
According to the statement, the cut represents an explicit abandonment of the U.S.’s global leadership role in space: “The message is clear: we cannot lead deep space exploration, we cannot collaborate with our allies, and we cannot invest in our scientific and industrial workforce.”
José Carlos del Toro, a researcher at the Andalusian Institute of Astrophysics (IAA-CSIC) and former manager of the Spanish space program, summarized his reaction in three words: “sadness, perplexity, and anger.” For him, it is a tragedy for global science. “It’s a huge pity. Many of these missions involved European collaboration. When the Americans abandon them, they leave us in the dark, despite all the work and investment already made,” he warned. Even so, del Toro acknowledges: “Even with the cuts, the U.S. will still be better off than Europe or Spain in terms of investment — their system is much more robust.”
Pedro León, a writer and expert in space exploration, was direct: “It’s a slaughter.” According to him, at least 15 Earth observation missions have been canceled, and many others received funding for just one more year. “The cuts focused on environmental missions and those managed by universities,” he laments. León notes that Congress may still reverse some of the cuts, as often happens, “but as it stands, even some missions that survived may fall later.”
Eva Villaver, deputy director of the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands (IAC), still hopes that Congress will reverse some of the proposal. “NASA has the largest budget in the world for space science, so the impact is global, especially for the ESA,” she emphasizes. For her, the most concerning aspect was the focus on cuts to Earth observation and climate change missions. “These missions are vital for the future of humanity and for our understanding of the planet,” she stresses.
Venus Also Suffers and China Advances
Daniel Marín, an astrophysicist and one of the major communicators of space science in Spain, considers the proposal a disaster for both NASA’s internal functioning and for science. He recalls that, in addition to the losses in Mars and the Moon, the field of Venus study will be one of the most harmed. “Planned missions like DAVINCI and VERITAS are canceled, as well as NASA’s participation in the European EnVision mission. It is unclear if it can continue without American collaboration,” he said.
Marín also points to the geopolitical component of the cuts: “In practice, the U.S. is relinquishing leadership in lunar exploration to China, unless SpaceX can find a miraculous solution.” And, curiously, highlights the expert, “even with the budget being decimated, there is money reserved for Elon Musk’s Mars program.”
Pedro León agrees: “It’s a strategic suicide. The Chinese Mars sample return mission is scheduled for 2029-30. They are already winning this race.” The same applies to the Moon, according to him: “The Chinese crewed capsule is progressing well, and it is likely that their astronauts will set foot on the Moon before the Americans.”
José Carlos del Toro reinforces: “Even if they still depend on some American technologies, the Chinese have made an impressive leap. These cuts only facilitate their assumption of the lead in the new space race.”
The Threatened Legacy
For José Antonio Rodríguez Manfredi, a researcher at the Astrobiology Center (CAB-INTA-CSIC), the consequences could be lasting. “A significant part of the programs that were a symbol of space exploration will be canceled. Even if some had high costs or were financially unfeasible, this drastic turn compromises NASA’s leadership in the short term and may shake the international ties built over decades.”
Carlos Briones, also from CAB-INTA-CSIC, was even more direct: “In my view, this is part of a plan by the White House to dismantle science and technology in the United States.” He concludes: “The only beneficiary will be China. Trump’s irrational disdain for science — and for culture in general — is an insult to humanity.”
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