Trump also hit esa

At the beginning of May, Trump’s administration presented the draft budget for NASA, according to which it was already clear that it would hit the scientific expeditions of the space agency. Among other things, there will be nothing with (too) expensive elimination for picking samples from Mars (MSR), and the Artemis program will be significantly changed, as the SLS rocket and the Orion capsule are expected to be abolished after three flights and the Lunar Space Station Gateway. They have now published the full draft budget for 2026, which provides for the abandonment of as much as 40 expeditions. Many of them are preparing NASA with ESO, a European Space Agency.

The budget for 2026 (the financial year lasts from October 2025 to the end of September 2026) would amount to around € 17.3 billion, while NASA received 22.9 billion for the year. Particularly drastic is a reduction in scientific programs, as Trump proposes only 3.6 billion euros for these, which is 47 percent less than the amount that belonged to the agency this year. Many employees will be fired.

What missions will be abolished?

Trump’s budget provides for both the halting of active expeditions and the interruption of the construction of the future. Among other things, the elimination of New Horizons, which has taken the famous paintings of Pluto and now travels along the Kuiper lane, will end. So far, it has been envisaged to operate until at least the end of 2028. Osis-Apex, which is an extended expedition of Osisis-Rex-when the vessel successfully delivered asteroid samples, has remained enough fuel to be sent to a meeting with Apophis asteroid, which will fly near the Earth in 2029. And Juno circulating around Jupiter and his moon. Although the imminent end is already planned for this, the « healthy » probes are often extended. The budget also provides an end for several spacecraft circulating around Mars, including Mars Odyssey and Maven satellites, and does not provide funds for the Mars Express Orbiter, which is otherwise managed by ESA. There are also no funds for the elimination of Esa’s Martian Rover Rosalind Franklin. NASA should provide the ESI drive engines, radioisotopic heating units and a load -bearing rocket. The budget does not have enough money for the continued operation of the space observatories of Chandra and Ferma and other astrophysical expeditions.

Many of the soil observation programs, including both carbon observers, which allow the mapping of the amount of carbon in the atmosphere, and thus also detect human emissions of this greenhouse gas. We would also abolish Terra, Aqua and Aura satellites, providing insight into climate change. Terri and Aqui are nearing the end of the operating age, but the aura could work until at least the end of the decade. According to the budget, NASA with partners would cease to develop an atmosphere observation system, which includes several satellites intended for the study of a complex cloud formation.

During the planetary expeditions, Nasa will be forced to abandon both for Venus: the Davinci – a probe would dive into the wholesale atmosphere of Venus, and Veritas, who would look with the radar through dense clouds and paint a new map of the surface. Reducing funds would also be a blow to Envision, which is a European expedition aimed at exploring the planetary neighbor. The agencies are committed to exchanging technologies.

The budget does not abolish the Nancy Grace space telescope, but it allocates significantly less money, only 149 million euros, which is almost half less than the amount Nasa wants. This, of course, means that the telescope is also threatened, as they may not be able to complete it. The development of Dragonfly, ambitious expeditions, will continue to explore Saturn’s moon Titan, as well as the expedition of Nisar, with a helicopter, it is a joint expedition with India.

According to the proposed budget, the Artemis program will be strongly revised, in which Americans are expected to step on the surface of the moon. The funds are now focused on a new commercial program from moon to Mars, in which a commercial system to replace SLS are to be developed. For the Orion ESA capsule, it develops a service module. It provides the budget as a billion euros for projects related to Mars research with human crew.

What do they say on ESI?

The European Space Agency says talks with our NASA, further decisions on how to move forward, or only with European funds, or perhaps in cooperation with another space agency, will be in the hands of Member States.

Talks are currently underway with NASA, and at the same time we analyze any consequences with Member States, according to ESI. Photo: Stephane Corava/AFP

« The proposal of the budget of President Trump for the budget year 2026, which was 30 in May. Supplemented by the technical allowance, is the first step in the multi -month process of allocating funds in Congress to make a decision for the budget year 2026. Talks are currently underway, and at the same time we analyze any consequences with Member States, » the agency explained. “As our Director -General pointed out Josef Aschbacherwe will evaluate potential measures and alternative scenarios for the affected Esa programs and, consequently, the European space industry with Member States at the next council meeting next week. Later this year, ESA will convene a ministerial meeting. ESA is determined to increase Europe’s potential in space – in favor of Europe, Member States and their citizens, « they said.

Trump’s proposal must, of course, through the US Congress, and it is expected that some conservative congressmen will be opposed.