The White House will try to reduce NASA’s scientific budget by 50%. It is so devastating that Elon Musk has separated

The White House has presented a preliminary proposal of its budgets by 2026. If the United States Congress approved them, NASA would see 20% less money next year, but with an especially controversial turn, because they would be cuts centered on science.

A devastating loss. NASA is the largest and most influential space agency in the world. Its direction of scientific missions finances some of the most important research for the advancement of astrophysics, planetary science, terrestrial science and heliophysics. Studies in which international entities such as the European Space Agency often participate.

The White House budget in half reduces the resources of the Directorate of Scientific Missions. It would go from 7.5 billion dollars in the fiscal year from 2025 to 3.9 billion in 2026. The consequences are so devastating for the scientific community that Elon Musk has described it as “worrying” and It has come out to clarify that has not had anything to do:

“I am very in favor of science, but unfortunately I cannot participate in the discussions about NASA’s budget because Spacex is an important NASA contractor.”

Affected missions. While the proposal maintains the financing of HUBBLE observatories and James Webb, explicitly cancels other space telescopes, including the Nancy Grace Romanwhich is already completely assembled waiting for its launch.

The two most important planetary missions that would not continue with the White House Budgets are, on the one hand, Mars Sample Returnthe recovery of Martian soil samples that has been collecting the Rover Perseverance, and the Davinci mission to explore Venus. Both milestones would be in the hands of China, which It has similar missions in your scientific roadmap.

Goodbye to the Goddard? According to Ars Technicathe cuts seem designed to force the closure of the Goddard Space Flight Center, the NASA headquarters in Maryland, which uses 10,000 officials and contractors, and from where iconic cosmological, land and sun observation missions are operated.

• Astrophysics: it would reduce its budget by two thirds, leaving 487 million dollars.
• Heliophysics: it would reduce its budget by more than two thirds, leaving 455 million dollars.
• Terrestrial science: would reduce its budget in more than half, remaining at 1,033 million dollars.
• Planetary Science: would reduce its budget by one third, being at 1,929 million dollars

NOAA is even worse stop. Donald Trump’s administration also seeks Complaint the magazine Science.

Like NASA, NOAA is one of the world’s main scientific agencies, but in the weather, climate and space climate. The cuts would close the Ocean and Atmospheric Research Office (OAR), and would leave hundreds of scientists who study global warming.

Waiting for Congress. NASA has a period of 72 hours to appeal these figures before they are incorporated into the final budgets. Ultimately, it will be the United States Congress who approves them.

It is likely that the cuts are with strong opposition in Congress, Very sensitized With the idea of ​​losing ground in front of China. “This would tithe the American leadership in space and inflict great damage to NASA centers throughout the country,” Congressman George Whitesides, from the Science Committee, told Ars Technica. It would be like an “extinction event.”

Image | POT

In Xataka | 12 years after making fun of Spacex and his idea of ​​landing rockets, Arianegroup is creating a European mini-falcon 9