NASA Faces Historic Budget Cuts and Leadership Crisis in 2026 Turmoil

WORLD NEWS

By Aniket Chakraborty June 4, 2025 Arrow

The $6 billion cut targets science hardest, slashing 41 missions including Mars Sample Return.

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Veteran missions like MAVEN, Juno, New Horizons, and even Chandra are facing termination.

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The cutbacks extend to jobs too—NASA may lose nearly a third of its workforce in one year.

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Even key infrastructure like plutonium production for deep space travel is being defunded.

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Roman Space Telescope survives—but at half its budget, casting doubt on a 2026 launch.

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Jared Isaacman was expected to steer NASA through the storm—until Trump withdrew his nomination.

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Isaacman’s exit deepens the leadership vacuum as Congress declares the budget "dead on arrival."

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Critics say the budget slashes innovation while shifting funds toward Mars tech and private contracts.

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With no confirmed chief and historic cuts looming, NASA’s path forward is darker than ever.

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