By unusuma.lk on (LK time)
A clash between US President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk over a large government spending plan has increased fears about NASA’s already troubled budget.
The White House had earlier asked for massive reductions in the space agency’s budget, including nearly halving its science funding.
Now, President Trump has warned he might cancel government contracts with Musk’s SpaceX, creating more risk for the US space programme.
NASA heavily depends on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets to send supplies and crew to the International Space Station. The agency also plans to use Starship rockets for future Moon missions and, eventually, Mars landings.
Dr Simeon Barber, a space expert at the Open University, said this confusion is having a “freezing effect” on human space efforts.
“The shocking arguments, sudden decisions, and policy reversals in recent days damage the long-term planning we rely on.
“Space exploration needs steady plans and teamwork among governments, private companies, and universities,” he said.
Even before the Trump-Musk row, there were growing concerns about the proposed funding reductions.
Forty science missions – either already in space or still being developed – may be cancelled.
All divisions are facing cuts, except the Mars astronaut programme, which got an extra $100 million (around £74 million).
Casey Dreier, a top space policy analyst at the Planetary Society in Pasadena, called the possible cuts “the worst threat ever” to America’s space goals.
NASA outlined how it plans to meet the White House’s demand for a 25% budget cut, saying the new plan focuses on “essential Moon and Mars missions” in its science and tech divisions.
Dr Adam Baker, a space policy analyst at Cranfield University, told BBC News that if Congress approves the plan, it will change NASA’s path entirely.
“Trump wants NASA to focus on two main goals: beating China to the Moon and planting a US flag on Mars. Everything else comes after,” he explained.
Supporters of the new budget say it gives NASA clear direction – something it hasn’t had since the Apollo missions of the 1960s and 70s, which aimed to beat the Soviet Union to the Moon.
Critics argue NASA has since become a slow, overgrown organisation that often overspends and wastes public money on space projects.
One clear example is NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), built for future Moon trips. It’s been delayed, and now each launch costs around $4.1 billion (£3.3 billion).
On the other hand, SpaceX’s reusable Starship rocket is estimated to cost only $100 million (£80 million) per launch. Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin company is also promising similar low-cost launches with its New Glenn rocket.
Unsurprisingly, the White House wants to shut down the expensive SLS and instead rely on Starship and New Glenn. But Starship’s last three tests have failed, and Blue Origin is only beginning to test its own Moon rocket.
“There’s a risk NASA is just swapping one big problem for another,” Dr Barber warned.
“The future of NASA may end up in the hands of Musk and Bezos.
“If they lose interest or ask for more funding, Congress might be forced to pay more to keep the programme running.”
What’s even more worrying, says Dr Barber, is the threat to 40 missions that study other planets or track climate change from space—many involving global partnerships.
“It’s heartbreaking that years of hard work can be destroyed so quickly, with no clear backup plan,” he added.
The threatened missions include many already launched, where most costs have already been covered. Cancelling them now would only save small operating costs.
Also at risk are two key European partnerships: one to bring Martian samples collected by the Perseverance rover back to Earth, and another to send Europe’s Rosalind Franklin rover to search for signs of life on Mars.
Prof Sir Martin Sweeting, founder of the UK’s Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, and co-author of a Royal Society report, said the development is “unwelcome” but could push Europe to be more independent in space.
“Maybe Europe has leaned on NASA too much as the dominant partner,” he told the BBC.
“It’s a chance for Europe to rethink how to take more control over its own space plans.”
Still, Europe faces big challenges. In addition to the Mars rover and sample return project, Europe might lose access to the International Space Station if NASA pulls back.
The cuts may also halt NASA’s support for the Lunar Gateway – a new international space station planned to orbit the Moon.
In its latest strategy, the European Space Agency (ESA) said it aims to build a more self-reliant space programme, and stay a “strong, trusted global partner” even without NASA.
Earth Observation missions are also under threat, Dr Baker warned.
“These satellites are like an early alarm system for climate change,” he told BBC News.
“If we lose them, we could badly damage our ability to predict and prevent climate disasters. It’s a terrifying thought.”
Congress has yet to vote on the budget. According to Casey Dreier, many Republican lawmakers have privately told lobbyists they’re willing to oppose the cuts.
But Dreier fears political deadlock might mean no budget is agreed at all.
If that happens, the White House’s reduced budget could be used temporarily, and once missions are shut down, restarting them is often impossible.
