This isn't just about numbers—it's a potential gut punch to NASA's most exciting projects. Mars sample-return has been years in the making, promising groundbreaking insights into the Red Planet. Deep cuts like this could stall U.S. leadership in space exploration and send ripple effects through the scientific community, not to mention the thousands of jobs on the line. If this budget goes through, don’t expect those "next giant leap" headlines anytime soon.

The Trump administration's 2026 budget request cuts NASA funding by $6 billion, which would lead to the cancellation of Mars sample-return and other high-profile missions.

The Trump administration's proposed 2026 budget includes a massive 24% cut to NASA's funding—a $6 billion reduction that would shrink the agency's workforce by nearly a third. Key missions, like the ambitious Mars sample-return project, could be axed entirely.

Trump's 2026 budget would slash NASA funding by 24% and its workforce by nearly one third

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