Seven former NASA executives condemn the 47% cut in the research budget, warning that it would severely damage US space science.

NASA's former science directors have sent a letter to Congress calling for rejection of the Trump administration's plan to cut the agency's research budget by 47% in 2026. They emphasize that such a cut would have irreversible consequences, including the cancellation of important missions and the loss of research teams. Cutting the budget would jeopardize the US's ability to remain a leader in space science, leaving room for other countries such as China. The Planetary Society joined the protest, collecting more than 20,000 signatures against the budget plan.