NASA Averts Shutdown, Secures House Funding for Science
▼ Summary
– The fiscal year 2026 U.S. budget process is stalled, with no final budget passed as the October 1 start date approaches.
– A government shutdown is increasingly likely due to political disagreements over passing a temporary funding measure.
– NASA faced potential cuts under the White House’s proposed budget, which targeted science missions for cancellation.
– The White House had directed NASA to prepare plans to shut down about two dozen spacecraft if no budget was passed.
– NASA’s interim administrator has now directed the agency to work toward the House’s proposed budget level, which is more favorable to science than the White House plan.
Navigating the complexities of the fiscal year 2026 budget has proven challenging for the United States government, with NASA’s future hanging in the balance amid broader financial uncertainty. The White House initially put forward a proposal that included substantial reductions for several federal agencies, NASA among them. Since then, both the House and Senate have advanced their own spending blueprints, yet with the new fiscal year set to begin October 1, no final agreement has been reached.
Political disagreements over whether to approve a stopgap funding measure, known as a continuing resolution, have heightened the risk of a full government shutdown. This looming possibility cast a shadow over NASA’s operational stability and the fate of its scientific missions.
Earlier this summer, the administration instructed leaders of various science missions to draft shutdown plans for approximately two dozen spacecraft. These missions were on the chopping block under the president’s initial budget proposal, and the preparation of closure strategies signaled that, absent congressional action, the White House might move to terminate these programs when the new fiscal year began.
In a significant turn of events, interim NASA Administrator Sean Duffy has now directed the agency to align its planning with the funding levels approved by the House Appropriations Committee. While this falls short of full financial support for NASA’s science initiatives, it represents a much more favorable outcome than the deep cuts originally proposed. This directive offers a reprieve, ensuring that critical scientific projects can continue moving forward despite ongoing budgetary tensions.
(Source: Ars Technica)
