The dark age of NASA science? Analyzing the FY 2026 budget proposal

The White House has released its Fiscal Year 2026 congressional budget justification for NASA, and the implications are staggering. If enacted, this proposal would slash NASA’s science program funding by nearly half, cancel dozens of active and upcoming missions, and reduce the agency’s workforce by one-third. Sarah Al-Ahmed is joined by Jack Kiraly, The Planetary Society’s director of government relations, to examine what’s in the nearly 500-page document, what it means for the future of space science and exploration, and how advocates can still act to save NASA science. Then, in What’s Up, Planetary Society Chief Scientist Bruce Betts shares insights on China’s newly launched asteroid sample return mission, Tianwen-2. The spacecraft will rendezvous with near-Earth asteroid 469219 Kamoʻoalewa, offering new scientific opportunities amidst a moment of global uncertainty in space exploration. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-FY-2026-budget-proposal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.