October 10, 2025 • 7 mins
The Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye discusses potential cuts to NASA funding and says the cost of space exploration is small vs other items the federal budget spends on. He speaks with Katie Greifeld and Romaine Bostick on “The Close.”
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Well, NASA is caught in the crosshairs of the Trump
Administration's proposed buzzer cuts. Scientists and space advocates scrambling to
save the organization from a potential forty seven percent slash
in funding, with eighty five percent of staff furlough amid
the government shutdown, all while the President considers reviving fintech
billionaire Jared Isaacman's nomination to lead NASA.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Joining me now is.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
A familiar face fighting against this bill. Nye, the science guy.
He is the CEO at the Planetary Society.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Bill.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Fantastic to have you with us. Of course, we had
Monday's Day of Action. You played a strong part in
organizing that. Tell us about what the reception has been
like from the Trump administration from Congress in trying to
push back against some of these proposed.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Well, Congress has been great.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
So both the Senate and House have pushed back, rejecting
virtually all of the proposed cuts. So twenty percent overalled
in NASA and forty almost half to NASA Science. And
if you cut NASA Science in half, you pretty much
end it. So what the expression is extinction? Level for science.
(01:24):
And so the reason this matters is every dollar you
spend with NASA, it goes into the economy about a
factor of three that it it in yours to a
benefit about three x of what you put in.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
And then the other thing.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
Everybody, you guys were talking about China and our relationship
to China. The Chinese China National Space Administration rather is
doing amazing things. They have some very smart people and
they're exploring space for the same reasons we are.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
And I predict if nothing is done.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
There will be at least two more what I like
to call spot Nick moments when the Western world wakes
up to, oh, my goodness, this remarkable capability from Asia.
And so they're gonna land guys or gals on the
Moon in twenty thirty four and a half years from now,
and they will almost certainly send spacecraft to Mars to
(02:22):
look for geologic samples rocks that may bear signs of
ancient life, and they will bring them back around twenty
thirty three. Meanwhile, with the cuts to NASA, none of
that would happen here in the States.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
I am curious, and I like how you quantify the
idea of sort of what the economic impact of NASA is.
And I go back to your history, and particularly with
some of the things that you've worked on, you were instrumental.
I believe in working on some of the sundials that
went onto a couple.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Of instrumental See what he did there, instrumental. I got him.
It's an instrument But talk a little bit about it,
Bill and all.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Seriously, I mean, talk a little bit about why that's
important for the average person, because I think the average
person looks at this and just thinks, Okay, we're just
shooting stuff up into space just for you know, you know,
just for giggles.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Oh no, no, no, So everybody, we're having this conversation
right now.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Because of so called space assets, we.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
Would not be able to predict weather, we would not
be able to have situational awareness for the military. We
would not have satellite internet service, We wouldn't have any
of these things without exploring space. Furthermore, everybody knows the
expressions big bang, everybody knows black hole. These are a
result of space exploration. And I predict it's not extraordinary.
(03:40):
If we were to find evidence of life on another world,
it would change this world. It would change the way
each of us feels about being a living thing here
in the cosmos, and so Furthermore, the cost of this
exploration is very, very small, and compared to everything else
the federal everything else in the federal budget the federal
(04:02):
government spends money on. And then remind you, guys, other countries,
other space programs are going full on organized efforts to
do almost mission for mission right what the United States
is planning to cut.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
It's really a remarkable time.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
But as I say, both the Senate and House have
rejected the cuts. What we want them to do is
that business of reconciliation and then get this, as they say,
over the finish line, this legislation.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Well, Bill, I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the
idea that you could see private companies step in to
fill the void that could be left behind if NASA
is cut in half. I see you shaking your head.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
I'm going to give them mike to you. Oh yeah, yeah.
It's two different things.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Sending rockets to low Earth orbit or even ferrying spacecraft
to geosynchronous orbits and so on is one thing. There
is no business case. Nobody's making money looking for evidence
of life on Mars. This is a replica of the
Mars sample tubes. These are rock samples that are on Mars.
(05:08):
Some of them are in the belly of the rover Perseverance.
Some of them are deliberately left on the surface where
we could pick them up in case something goes wrong.
There's no plan to bring those back. What's in those rocks,
these so called leopard spots, may be evidence of ancient
life which.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Would have started on Mars. That would be extraordinary.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
All right, then, everybody, you may have heard the expression
dark energy, dark matter. Nobody is quite sure what causes
the galaxies to move the way they do.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
There is nobody making money.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
Nobody's cashing in on looking for where this dark matter,
this gravity comes from. There's no business case to look
for evidence of life on the ocean of Europa twice
as much seawater as Earth, and a moon of Jupiter.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Yet these discoveries can change the world. Do you think they'll?
Speaker 1 (06:01):
Bill and I know that the US has kind of
been at the center of the space exploration for decades.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Now, is it possible US invented it?
Speaker 1 (06:08):
We did, But is it possible now that we're going
to see another country, whether it be China, India or
someone else pick up that mantle and can that be
beneficial still for the US or not.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Well, I don't think it's what people want. I don't
think most people in the United States, most US citizens,
would be joyful that another space organization was able to
put people on the Moon again without the US having
a presence, or to put people to send spacecraft or
other missions to these more distant destinations Jupiter, Mars, Europa, Titan,
(06:47):
Moon of Saturn. Also, you guys, the plan now is
just turn these spacecraft off.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Just turn them off. I mean, we have spent at least.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
Twelve billion dollars on the spacecraft which you're flying right now,
and in the case of Mars, we've spent about twenty
three billion to find this place, to look for these
rocks to bring them back.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Talk about a waste of money. Yeah, just turning them
off extraordinary.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
The idea is it's hard to imagine really at first,
and that's why the Senate and the House have rejected
these cuts and pushed back. As far as whose idea
it was in the first place to cut NASSA in half,
I'm not sure, because understand, the first Trump administration was
all in on space.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Yeah, they were.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
They created a massa budget going full on. Yeah, and
something's happened second time around.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Well, it'll be interesting to see. We have to get
you back on because there is a bill on now
trying to work its way through the committee that maybe
could reinstate SELMA of that funding out all of it.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
Bill really appreciated.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Bill Nye, of course, is the CEO at the Planetary Society,
and of course many of us, of course very endearingly
know him from his previous show Bill Nye as the
science guy
Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Well, NASA is caught in the crosshairs of the Trump
Administration's proposed buzzer cuts. Scientists and space advocates scrambling to
save the organization from a potential forty seven percent slash
in funding, with eighty five percent of staff furlough amid
the government shutdown, all while the President considers reviving fintech
billionaire Jared Isaacman's nomination to lead NASA.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Joining me now is.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
A familiar face fighting against this bill. Nye, the science guy.
He is the CEO at the Planetary Society.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Bill.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Fantastic to have you with us. Of course, we had
Monday's Day of Action. You played a strong part in
organizing that. Tell us about what the reception has been
like from the Trump administration from Congress in trying to
push back against some of these proposed.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Well, Congress has been great.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
So both the Senate and House have pushed back, rejecting
virtually all of the proposed cuts. So twenty percent overalled
in NASA and forty almost half to NASA Science. And
if you cut NASA Science in half, you pretty much
end it. So what the expression is extinction? Level for science.
(01:24):
And so the reason this matters is every dollar you
spend with NASA, it goes into the economy about a
factor of three that it it in yours to a
benefit about three x of what you put in.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
And then the other thing.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
Everybody, you guys were talking about China and our relationship
to China. The Chinese China National Space Administration rather is
doing amazing things. They have some very smart people and
they're exploring space for the same reasons we are.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
And I predict if nothing is done.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
There will be at least two more what I like
to call spot Nick moments when the Western world wakes
up to, oh, my goodness, this remarkable capability from Asia.
And so they're gonna land guys or gals on the
Moon in twenty thirty four and a half years from now,
and they will almost certainly send spacecraft to Mars to
(02:22):
look for geologic samples rocks that may bear signs of
ancient life, and they will bring them back around twenty
thirty three. Meanwhile, with the cuts to NASA, none of
that would happen here in the States.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
I am curious, and I like how you quantify the
idea of sort of what the economic impact of NASA is.
And I go back to your history, and particularly with
some of the things that you've worked on, you were instrumental.
I believe in working on some of the sundials that
went onto a couple.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Of instrumental See what he did there, instrumental. I got him.
It's an instrument But talk a little bit about it,
Bill and all.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Seriously, I mean, talk a little bit about why that's
important for the average person, because I think the average
person looks at this and just thinks, Okay, we're just
shooting stuff up into space just for you know, you know,
just for giggles.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Oh no, no, no, So everybody, we're having this conversation
right now.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Because of so called space assets, we.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
Would not be able to predict weather, we would not
be able to have situational awareness for the military. We
would not have satellite internet service, We wouldn't have any
of these things without exploring space. Furthermore, everybody knows the
expressions big bang, everybody knows black hole. These are a
result of space exploration. And I predict it's not extraordinary.
(03:40):
If we were to find evidence of life on another world,
it would change this world. It would change the way
each of us feels about being a living thing here
in the cosmos, and so Furthermore, the cost of this
exploration is very, very small, and compared to everything else
the federal everything else in the federal budget the federal
(04:02):
government spends money on. And then remind you, guys, other countries,
other space programs are going full on organized efforts to
do almost mission for mission right what the United States
is planning to cut.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
It's really a remarkable time.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
But as I say, both the Senate and House have
rejected the cuts. What we want them to do is
that business of reconciliation and then get this, as they say,
over the finish line, this legislation.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Well, Bill, I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the
idea that you could see private companies step in to
fill the void that could be left behind if NASA
is cut in half. I see you shaking your head.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
I'm going to give them mike to you. Oh yeah, yeah.
It's two different things.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Sending rockets to low Earth orbit or even ferrying spacecraft
to geosynchronous orbits and so on is one thing. There
is no business case. Nobody's making money looking for evidence
of life on Mars. This is a replica of the
Mars sample tubes. These are rock samples that are on Mars.
(05:08):
Some of them are in the belly of the rover Perseverance.
Some of them are deliberately left on the surface where
we could pick them up in case something goes wrong.
There's no plan to bring those back. What's in those rocks,
these so called leopard spots, may be evidence of ancient
life which.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Would have started on Mars. That would be extraordinary.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
All right, then, everybody, you may have heard the expression
dark energy, dark matter. Nobody is quite sure what causes
the galaxies to move the way they do.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
There is nobody making money.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
Nobody's cashing in on looking for where this dark matter,
this gravity comes from. There's no business case to look
for evidence of life on the ocean of Europa twice
as much seawater as Earth, and a moon of Jupiter.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Yet these discoveries can change the world. Do you think they'll?
Speaker 1 (06:01):
Bill and I know that the US has kind of
been at the center of the space exploration for decades.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Now, is it possible US invented it?
Speaker 1 (06:08):
We did, But is it possible now that we're going
to see another country, whether it be China, India or
someone else pick up that mantle and can that be
beneficial still for the US or not.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Well, I don't think it's what people want. I don't
think most people in the United States, most US citizens,
would be joyful that another space organization was able to
put people on the Moon again without the US having
a presence, or to put people to send spacecraft or
other missions to these more distant destinations Jupiter, Mars, Europa, Titan,
(06:47):
Moon of Saturn. Also, you guys, the plan now is
just turn these spacecraft off.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Just turn them off. I mean, we have spent at least.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
Twelve billion dollars on the spacecraft which you're flying right now,
and in the case of Mars, we've spent about twenty
three billion to find this place, to look for these
rocks to bring them back.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Talk about a waste of money. Yeah, just turning them
off extraordinary.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
The idea is it's hard to imagine really at first,
and that's why the Senate and the House have rejected
these cuts and pushed back. As far as whose idea
it was in the first place to cut NASSA in half,
I'm not sure, because understand, the first Trump administration was
all in on space.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Yeah, they were.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
They created a massa budget going full on. Yeah, and
something's happened second time around.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Well, it'll be interesting to see. We have to get
you back on because there is a bill on now
trying to work its way through the committee that maybe
could reinstate SELMA of that funding out all of it.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
Bill really appreciated.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Bill Nye, of course, is the CEO at the Planetary Society,
and of course many of us, of course very endearingly
know him from his previous show Bill Nye as the
science guy
Popular Podcasts
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com