Impacted Members/Scientists: Request a membership waiver, seek meeting support, and other resources. Learn more. For the latest public policy updates, please visit this page.
11 April 2025
AAS Gravely Concerned About Cuts to NASA Science Funding
The American Astronomical Society (AAS) is gravely concerned about the deep cuts to NASA science funding reported to be in the draft President’s Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2026. If enacted, the nearly 50% cut to the NASA Science Mission Directorate would be catastrophic to our nation’s leadership in the space sciences, damaging a broad range of research areas that are unlikely to be supported by the private sector.
For over 60 years, the astronomical sciences community has maximized the scientific return on precious US taxpayer dollars through regular and rigorous strategic planning and vision development for the field. The goal of these efforts is to prioritize the development of a highly qualified STEM workforce, revolutionary ground-based and space-based observatories and programs, and smaller yet critical technology investments.
The cuts proposed in the draft President’s Budget Request would severely hinder the community’s ability to continue this important work. In particular, the proposals included a two-thirds cut to the astrophysics budget, a greater than 50% cut to Earth science, a greater than 40% cut to heliophysics, and a 30% cut to planetary science.
“The impacts of these proposed funding cuts would not only be devastating to the astronomical sciences community, but they would also have far-reaching consequences for the nation,” says AAS President Dara Norman. For example, the proposed cut to heliophysics would jeopardize our national security, as missions like the Geospace Dynamics Constellation — which would be canceled under this cut — are critical for understanding space weather and protecting our nation’s satellites and communications systems from adverse space weather events. The proposed cut to the astrophysics budget is likely to result in the cancellation of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, a Great Observatory that would revolutionize our understanding of dark matter and dark energy while also detecting hundreds of thousands of planets in other solar systems. As the Roman Space Telescope is already fully assembled and on budget for a launch in two years, a cancellation of the mission would be a significant waste of taxpayer dollars. The proposed cut to planetary science would lead to the cancellation of the Mars Sample Return and the DAVINCI program, hindering our ability to understand whether there is life present on worlds beyond Earth.
What’s more, the cuts proposed to NASA science funding would have a critical impact on the nation’s STEM workforce and our country’s leadership in science and technology. “Many scientists across all career stages, from undergraduates to faculty, are supported by grants to advance NASA science missions,” explains President Norman. “Without robust and sustained federal funding for the sciences, the United States will lose at least a generation of talent to other countries that are increasing their investments in facilities and workforce development. This will derail not only cutting-edge scientific advances, but also the training of the nation's future STEM workforce. These cuts will certainly result in the loss of American leadership in science.”
The AAS has not yet heard about proposed cuts to other science agencies, such as the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy’s Office of Science. These agencies all play a critical role in advancing basic research, including the many spin-off benefits and technology development spurred by these investments. “We are hopeful that Congress and the Administration recognize the importance of this role,” says AAS CEO Kevin Marvel. “The Society looks forward to working with them to ensure that the American discovery and innovation engine remains strong.”
Contacts
About the AAS
The American Astronomical Society (AAS), established in 1899, is a major international organization of professional astronomers, astronomy educators, and amateur astronomers. Its membership of approximately 8,000 also includes physicists, geologists, engineers, and others whose interests lie within the broad spectrum of subjects now comprising the astronomical sciences. The mission of the AAS is to enhance and share humanity’s scientific understanding of the universe as a diverse and inclusive astronomical community, which it achieves through publishing, meetings, science advocacy, education and outreach, and training and professional development.