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7h ago

White House Seeks Deep NASA Cuts, Boosts Artemis as Isaacman Backs Plan

The plan prioritizes Artemis over science to the detriment of the ISS handoff.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman (center) views a test run in the Arc Jet Complex at the Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California, in January.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman attends the Artemis II mission launch at Kennedy Space Center on April 1.
NASA's Artemis II mission to fly by the moon, comprising of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion crew capsule, lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.

Overview

  • Following Friday’s budget release, the White House proposed a fiscal 2027 cut of about $5.6 billion, or 23%, to NASA while increasing funding for the Moon-focused Artemis program.
  • Isaacman on Sunday defended the request on national TV, pointing to roughly $10 billion in 2025 supplemental funds and arguing NASA should be judged on delivered results rather than annual spend.
  • The proposal would reduce science funding by about 47% and cut space technology by roughly one-third, leaving many missions at risk even as the Roman Space Telescope and the Dragonfly mission retain support.
  • The request lowers funding for the International Space Station program and leans on rapid development of commercial stations, a shift that leaves the replacement path uncertain as NASA has noted weak market demand.
  • Advocacy groups warned the plan would erode U.S. space science and disrupt NASA’s workforce, and recent congressional signals and past votes suggest lawmakers may again resist deep science cuts.