John and I welcomed Casey Dreier from The Planetary Society to the program to discuss the proposed NASA space and science budget cuts and the elimination of several key projects. Casey suggested that the direction for these cuts likely originated from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), with minimal input or guidance from the space policy experts.
He highlighted several affected programs, including significant budget reductions to the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, and the potential termination of the New Horizons and Venus missions. Casey also addressed the almost certain cancellation of the Space Launch System (SLS) and the Gateway program, both of which may die after Artemis 3.
We also talked about a potential shift toward commercial Moon missions, though Casey noted the plans were vague and lacked clear direction. Our discussion covered broader topics as well, including cislunar development, cargo and resupply missions to the ISS, the outlook for private space stations, Mars exploration, and entry, descent, and landing (EDL) demonstrations.
In Part 2 of the program, John focused on robotic missions—both current and planned—which are all heavily reliant on robotic technology. Casey added insights into the impact of budget cuts and restructuring at key NASA centers, including JPL and Goddard. Before concluding, we asked Casey about the implications of these changes for NASA scientists and engineers. He expressed concern about their uncertain job prospects, noting that opportunities for their highly specialized skills may be limited.
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