One Big Brutal Bill: Ex-NASA brass decry Trump's proposed budget cuts

The US Congress has passed President Donald Trump's budget bill. In addition to the possibility of a Space Shuttle move, significant changes are on the way for NASA.

Although the Space Launch System (SLS) has had two missions restored – Artemis 4 and 5 – and the Gateway, a lunar space station, put back on the agenda, there is no reprieve for NASA's science programs, which are set to be halved.

The bill, which Trump nicknamed the "One Big Beautiful Bill," is part of the Trump administration's budget reconciliation package. It includes transformative legislation that provides funding for critical infrastructure upgrades and offers tax relief. It cleared the House and Senate last week and, as it stands, will severely curtail the funds available to the US space agency.

The Planetary Society has called the budget an "extinction-level event," and this week released a joint statement from every living former ...