Policy Update (8 April 2026)

The Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) President’s Budget Request (PBR) was released on Friday, 3 April. It is largely similar to last year with respect to overall science cuts, with a 47% cut to the NASA Science Mission Directorate, a 55% cut to the National Science Foundation (NSF), and a 13% cut to the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, as well as the termination of the NASA Office of STEM Engagement. For more details about what is in the PBR, check out our in-depth breakdown here.

As a reminder, the PBR is not law. It is an initial proposal for the FY27 budget. Congress holds the “power of the purse” and will ultimately decide how much federal funding is appropriated to these and other agencies. Last year, AAS members and the broader scientific community pushed back vigorously against the PBR, with the result that Congress decided to preserve our US science agencies in FY26. We must maintain similar levels of advocacy this year to ensure that Congress continues to provide robust funding for science agencies.

Take a moment and urge your members of Congress to reject the sweeping cuts to our science agencies here. Every voice counts.

There are also “Dear Colleague” letters circulating in the Senate; you can use our action alert forms to urge your Senators to sign on to these letters in support of robust funding for NASA science and NSF. The deadline is 13 April.

Four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft are heading back from the Moon as part of the 10-day Artemis II mission. They have been performing multiple science experiments during their journey, including the A Virtual Astronaut Tissue Analog Response (AVATAR) investigation to study the impacts of radiation and microgravity on human health.

As part of its “Ignition” event last week, NASA announced some transformative changes to how it will conduct science. First, NASA is expediting its cadence of robotic payloads to the lunar surface, with plans to complete 30 landings beginning in 2027. The space agency is currently seeking information on future science and technology payloads for lunar science. NASA also has plans to streamline Science as a Service (SaaS) partnerships with commercial companies, including “potential public–private astrophysics partnerships that would advance space-based astrophysics through collaboration or coordination with foundations and/or other private entities.” NASA is requesting information from the space community about the future of SaaS.

On 26 March, the Trump Administration released a new Executive Order (EO) titled “Addressing DEI Discrimination by Federal Contractors.” This EO instructs federal contractors not to engage in “racially discriminatory DEI activities” and requires contractors to furnish records and accounts to ensure compliance with the EO.

AAS responded to Reflect Orbital’s consolidated response to the multiple petitions to deny their US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) application, including AAS’s petition to deny. In the reply comment, AAS reinforces its original position that the company’s application, “even for a single satellite, is not in the public interest, and in fact, that satellite could cause real harm to members of the public and public infrastructure (such as astronomical facilities)” and should thus be denied by the FCC.

On 30 March, AAS submitted a response to the General Services Administration proposed rulemaking that would require any financial assistance recipients using the System for Awards Management to affirm that they are not operating programs promoting “illegal DEI” or “discriminate on the basis of race or color” in violation of federal anti-discrimination laws. AAS argues that this proposed rulemaking is vague, burdensome to comply with, and would likely compromise national priorities. More details about the proposed rulemaking can be found here.

For more science and space policy news, check out:

• What’s Ahead: The Week of April 6, 2026 (AIP FYI)
• What’s Happening in Space Policy April 5–11, 2026 (SpacePolicyOnline)
• Trump’s FY2027 NASA Budget Supports Moon Missions, but Cuts Everything Else (SpacePolicyOnline)