Trump plans to allocate 25% of NASA budget to mysterious black hole

The White House has put forth a proposal to significantly reduce NASA’s budget by 24 percent, a cut that would slash it from its current $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion. This drastic reduction, if accepted, would represent one of the steepest single-year cuts in federal funding for the agency, bringing NASA’s inflation-adjusted financial support to levels not seen in many decades.

While these budget cuts are not finalized and remain in the recommendation stage for Congress to review, they have sparked concerns among various stakeholders. NASA enjoys bipartisan support in Congress, notably from Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), who are anticipated to strongly oppose the proposed reductions. The fear is that such drastic cuts could potentially cede space science and research leadership to China.

The proposed budget realignment presented by the Office of Management and Budget includes significant changes to NASA’s Artemis program. This program, which aimed at returning American astronauts to the Moon this decade, would see major restructuring. The flagship missions such as the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion crew capsule would be retired post-Artemis III, the mission aimed at putting American astronauts back on the lunar surface.

Additionally, plans for the Lunar Gateway, a proposed orbiting station intended to support Moon missions, would be scrapped, although some parts could be repurposed. The future lunar aspirations of the space agency are expected to rely more on commercial alternatives. The proposed budget would entail a $2.3 billion cut to NASA’s science division, significantly scaling back scientific inquiry as the administration aims to prioritize competing with China in lunar and Martian exploration.

The budget also outlines substantial cuts to the International Space Station (ISS) budget, with reduced crew numbers, resupplies, and a confirmed retirement date of 2030 for the ISS. Commercial space stations are set to replace the ISS, with research efforts shifting towards endeavors critical to lunar and Martian exploration.

Among other notable changes, the budget plan calls for restructuring NASA’s Landsat Next mission and proposes canceling climate-focused “green aviation” programs, while maintaining funding for air traffic control and defense-related projects. Several lower-priority science and technology endeavors face potential cancellation or indefinite postponement under the proposed budget cuts.

While human space exploration receives an additional $647 million in funding under the proposed budget, with a focus on returning humans to the Moon and eventually reaching Mars, concerns persist regarding the implications of retiring essential Artemis hardware and reductions in propulsion technology investments. The document emphasizes leveraging the commercial sector to compensate for the funding reductions, echoing the support NASA has provided to companies like SpaceX in recent years.

This proposed budget overhaul, if implemented, could have far-reaching consequences for NASA’s missions, scientific endeavors, and long-term goals. The implications of these budget cuts, adjusted for inflation, could potentially leave NASA with funding levels similar to those of the early 1960s, raising concerns about the agency’s ability to effectively pursue ambitious space exploration objectives and scientific breakthroughs.