Trump's NASA Budget Cut Threatens $75B Economic Impact

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Trump's 2026 NASA budget proposal slashes funding by a staggering 24% - from $24.8B to $18.8B - putting America's space leadership at risk.

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Iconic space programs face the axe: Space Launch System rocket, Orion crew capsule, and Lunar Gateway station all targeted for termination after 2027.

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"A historic step backward for American leadership in space" - The Planetary Society didn't hold back on what these cuts could mean.

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Climate research takes a massive hit with Earth science funding cut by 53%, while Mars Sample Return and the Roman Space Telescope get completely eliminated.

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Where's the money going instead? $7B redirected to lunar programs and $1B to Mars development, with SpaceX's Starship likely to benefit.

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Who's fighting to save NASA? In a rare show of unity, both Republican Ted Cruz and Democrat Maria Cantwell are pushing back against the cuts.

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International space partners scrambling as ESA develops contingency plans and JAXA and Canada face disruptions to their contributions.

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The economic fallout? NASA generated $75.6B in economic output last year - now thousands of jobs in six states hang in the balance.

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How much does NASA's current rocket really cost? A whopping $4 billion per launch - making the push toward commercial alternatives understandable.

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What's the real fight about? Return to the Moon or push to Mars? Government-led or commercial partnerships? Congress will decide NASA's future in June.

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