Space Science at a Crossroads: NASA Faces Uncertain Future Amid Budget Cuts, New Artemis Missions Prepare to Lift Off

The headline making waves this week in space: NASA faces an uncertain crossroads as the White House budget proposal threatens to eliminate 41 ongoing missions—nearly half the agency’s science program—while the highly anticipated Artemis II Moon mission and a new class of astronauts prepare to debut this September. According to The Planetary Society, the proposed 47% cut would halt spacecraft that are still returning groundbreaking data and force layoffs for up to a third of NASA’s workforce, setting American space science back by decades and wasting billions in investment.

But Congress isn’t sitting quietly. Lawmakers on both sides are signaling support to partially restore NASA’s funding, potentially softening the blow if legislation passes in time. Meanwhile, NASA management is taking steps to prepare for the worst, warning teams to make plans for potential shutdowns and reassignments. Behind the scenes, policy updates are underway: NASA recently notified unions of changes to their Reduction in Force policy, which determines how layoffs will proceed and what rights workers will retain if the budget cuts go through. Keith Pearce of NASA’s Goddard Center cautioned staff, “Federal employees cannot strike. They cannot engage in the same activity as private sector employees—this is a vulnerable moment.”

Despite the turmoil, there’s hope and excitement on the horizon. On September 22, NASA will introduce its newest astronaut class—culled from over 8,000 applicants—at a live ceremony available on NASA+, YouTube, and more. These new candidates will start nearly two years of rigorous training, preparing to launch not just to the International Space Station but onward to the Moon and—eventually—Mars. The following day, NASA will preview Artemis II, slated for no later than April 2026. This ten-day lunar mission will send a diverse crew, including astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen, around the Moon for the first time in decades.

For American citizens, the budget fight threatens to slow innovation and curtail STEM opportunities, while businesses and state agencies dependent on NASA contracts worry about economic aftershocks. The cuts would ripple out to international partners too, undermining trust and collaboration on planetary research. Yet, there’s still time for public action: The Planetary Society urges supporters to contact their representatives and advocate for continued space exploration funding. As NASA leadership and Congress negotiate next steps, all eyes are on the agency’s September events and upcoming budget hearings.

Listeners can learn more about NASA’s astronaut class reveal and Artemis II by tuning in to the live streams on NASA platforms. Follow your elected officials online and let them know space science matters. Stay engaged for updates on NASA funding, missions, and workforce impacts in the weeks ahead.

Thanks for tuning in. Don’t forget to subscribe for all the latest in space and science. This has been a Quiet Please production—for more, check out quietplease.ai.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The headline making waves this week in space. NASA faces
in uncertain crossroads as the White House budget proposal threatens
to eliminate forty one ongoing missions, nearly half the agency
science program, while the highly anticipated Artemis two Moon mission
and a new class of astronauts prepared to week in
March debut to September. According to the Planetary Society, the

(00:24):
proposed forty seven percent cut would halt spacecraft that are
still returning groundbreaking data and force layoffs for up to
a third of NASA's workforce, setting American space science back
by decades and wasting billions in investment. But Congress isn't
sitting quietly. Lawmakers on both sides are signaling support to
partially restore NASA's funding, potentially softening the blow if legislation

(00:48):
passes in time. Alison Kay said Michael Smith kill like
the rest. Meanwhile, NASA management is taking steps to prepare
for the worst, warning teams to make plans for potential
showdowns and reassignments. Behind the scenes, policy updates are underway.
NASA recently notified unions of changes to their Reduction and
Force policy, which determines how layoffs will proceed. And what

(01:11):
rights workers will retain if the budget cuts go through.
Keith Pearce of NASA's Goddard Center caution staff federal employees
cannot strike. They cannot engage in the same activity as
private sector employees. This is a vulnerabile moment. Despite the turmoil,
there's hope and excitement on the horizon. On September twenty second,

(01:32):
NASA will introduce its newest astronaut class, called from over
eight thousand applicants, at a live ceremony available on NASA plus,
YouTube and more. These new candidates will start nearly two
years of rivorous training, preparing to launch not just to
the International Space Station, but onward to the Moon and
eventually Mars. The following day, NASA will preview Artemis two,

(01:56):
slated for no later than April twenty twenty six. This
ten day lunar mission will send a diverse crew, including
astronauts Reed Wiseman, Victor Glever, Christina Coke, and Canadian Jeremy
Hanson around the Moon for the first time in decades.
For American citizens, the budget fight threatens to slow innovation
and curtail stem opportunities, while businesses and state agencies depended

(02:20):
on NASA contracts, worry about economic aftershocks. The cuts would
ripple out to international partners too, undermining trust and collaboration
on planetary research. Yet there's still time for public action.

(02:58):
The Planetary Society urges some porters to contact their representatives
and advocate for continued space exploration. File we can reconstruct
all fours of programs, find the cause of teaching principles
and better learning as NASA leadership and Congress negotiate next steps.
All lives are on the agency's September events and upcoming

(03:18):
budget hearings. Listeners can learn more about NASA's Astronaut Class
Reveal and Artemis two by tuning in to the live
streams on MASSA platforms. Follow your elected officials online and
let them know space science matters. Stay engaged for updates
on massive funding missions and workforce impacts in the weeks ahead.

(03:38):
Thanks for tuning in. Don't forget to subscribe for all
the latest in space and science. This has been a
quiet please production. For more check out Quiet Please dot
ai