WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 2) – The proposed NASA budget of $18.8 billion, representing a $6 billion (24%) funding reduction, is deeply concerning. It threatens our scientific capabilities and jeopardizes a sustained human presence on the Moon, undermining U.S. leadership in space and making NASA’s exploration goals nearly impossible.
NASA has been a world leader in human and robotic spaceflight, boldly redefining the limits of aeronautics and space exploration. Its discoveries have reshaped our understanding of the universe. This budget’s proposed redirection to unproven technology could derail these efforts, setting back U.S.-led deep space exploration and repeating the mistakes made during the transition from the Shuttle program to Constellation and then to the current Moon to Mars campaign.
While details are limited, such a significant reduction will likely impact all aspects of our space program, which relies on our skilled workforce and the companies throughout the supply chain that employ them. When focus is crucial, disruptions lead to inefficiency and increased risk. Thisbudget proposal will insert uncertainty into missions at a time when effort and determination areparamount.
NASA’s Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft are preparing for upcoming crewed missions to the Moon early next year. These capabilities are available today, not sometime in the future. Once the human landing system is fully developed, we will establish a sustained presence in cislunar space and on the lunar surface. While we await the successful demonstration of new capabilities for the Artemis III mission, hardware for Artemis missions well beyond the initial Moon landing is already being built.
Diverting the attention, time, and resources away from existing capabilities opens the door to China, which is poised to take the lead on the lunar frontier with plans for crewed Moon landings by the end of the decade. It will endanger our current global leadership position in space.
Moreover, NASA’s investment in exploration fosters an environment where space companies thrive, yielding a threefold return in economic output. The evidence is clear in NASA’s own Economic Impact Report for FY23, which highlights the economic activity driven by the agency’s Moon-to-Mars campaign. In FY23, NASA’s efforts impacted all 50 states and the District of Columbia, generating a total economic output of more than $23.8 billion and supporting an estimated 96,479 jobs.
If enacted, this budget proposal will weaken our nation and diminish our global influence in space for generations to come.
—–
About the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration
The Coalition for Deep Space Exploration is a national organization of more than 50 space industry businesses and other stakeholders committed to ensuring the United States remains a leader in space exploration, science, technology, and international cooperation. Based in Washington, D.C., the Coalition advocates in support of a long-term, sustainable direction for our nation’s space investments.
For more information or to schedule an interview with CDSE President and CEO Allen Cutler, please contact Dan Stohr at (703) 517-8173 or DNStohrConsulting@gmail.com.