Nasa's ambitions for a human mission to Mars are under threat as the Trump administration proposes deep budget cuts to the space agency, just weeks after the successful Artemis II lunar mission. The White House's 2027 budget request slashes Nasa funding by 23% to $18.8bn, with a 46% cut to science programmes, sparking bipartisan opposition in Congress.
Republican-led House and Senate committees have rejected the proposal, advancing a $24.4bn alternative that preserves science projects. Kentucky congressman Hal Rogers stated the Artemis II mission 'was an inspiring reminder that we must remain ahead of global competition,' while Maryland Democrat Chris Van Hollen warned that 'without space science, there is no Nasa.'
Nasa administrator Jared Isaacman defended the cuts, arguing the agency can 'do more with less,' including building a $20bn moonbase by 2029. However, critics like Bill Nye of the Planetary Society argue that robotic exploration is essential for human spaceflight, noting that 'you can't fly humans without knowing the topography of the moon.'
The administration's hostility towards Nasa science is partly linked to Donald Trump's animus towards climate research. Despite the president's focus on returning astronauts to the moon before 2029, experts warn that cutting science undermines long-term goals like Mars exploration. The budget battle echoes a similar fight in January, when a near-identical request was rejected.
