Overview

• The FY2026 budget requests $18.8 billion for NASA, a significant reduction from the $24.9 billion allocated in FY2025.
• The Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft will be retired after Artemis III, transitioning to cost-effective commercial systems for future lunar missions.
• The Lunar Gateway program and Mars Sample Return mission are slated for cancellation, with resources redirected to human exploration priorities.
• Funding for the International Space Station will be reduced, scaling back crew size and research as NASA transitions to commercial low Earth orbit platforms by 2030.
• Climate-focused aviation, DEIA initiatives, and STEM Engagement programs are eliminated to focus resources on core exploration missions.