Petition begins to stop White House’s massive NASA Science cut

The Planetary Society has begun a petition to help stop the White House’s 47% budget cut to NASA’s science programs. The advocacy group has a goal of gathering as many as 5,000 signatories before sending it to Congress.

The White House’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2026 proposes a shocking 47% cut in funding for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD). This represents an extinction-level event for the Earth and space sciences, forcing the needless termination of dozens of productive spacecraft, delaying or canceling on-budget development projects, and reducing opportunities for future scientists and engineers.

The Planetary Society petition

The Planetary Society has taken the lead in advocating for not just the massive cut in science missions but also the overall 25% proposed cut to NASA’s budget as a whole. While some programs were expected, like NASA’s climate research and green aviation tech, the extent of the additional science and reprioritization for going to the Moon and Mars was a bit shocking for some.

President Trump’s cuts to not just NASA’s but across all of the federal government are stated to help bring the federal budget and spending in check. However, the recent tax bill passed by the House would likely reduce overall tax revenue, making a balanced budget impossible.

If you wish to sign the petition, you have until June 12 before The Planetary Society closes it to be sent. You can sign the petition here.