Space Science at Risk: Former NASA Leaders Fight for Funding

Seven former heads of NASA's science programs have joined forces to protest a huge budget cut. They want Congress to say no to a 47% reduction in NASA's 2026 science budget. This cut could stop many space missions and hurt thousands of scientists and engineers. It could also make the U. S. fall behind other countries in space science. These leaders point out that NASA's science programs are only a small part of the total budget. But they have big benefits. They help the U. S. economy and create new technologies. Missions like the Mars rovers and the Hubble Space Telescope have inspired people around the world. The leaders say these programs show what makes America great. This is not the first protest against the budget cuts. Other groups and lawmakers have also spoken out. They say the cuts would be a disaster for NASA science. The former leaders hope their message will make a difference.