On Friday, the Trump-scope administration released the peak of the presidential budget in the 2026 fiscal year. The budget accelerates human space exploration on the moon and Mars through a combination of missions that undertake financial responsibility.

"The proposal includes investments in simultaneous exploration of the moon and Mars, while still prioritizing critical scientific and technological research," said Janet Petro, acting NASA administrator. "I thank the President for his ongoing support for NASA's mission and look forward to working closely with the administration and Congress to ensure that we continue to progress to achieve the impossible."

• In the pursuit of moon and Mars exploration, people's commitment to human space exploration has increased. By allocating more than $7 billion in lunar exploration and launching a new $1 billion investment for a Mars-centric program, the budget ensures that human space exploration efforts in the United States remain unparalleled, innovative and efficient.
• Re-concentrate scientific and space technology resources to effectively perform high-priority research. In line with the priorities of the government's prioritization of returning to China and putting Americans on Mars, the budget will increase priority scientific and research missions and projects, ending financially unsustainable plans, including Martian sample returns. It highlights investment in transformative space technology, while responsibly transferring projects are more suitable for private sector leaders.
• Transform the Artemis movement into a more sustainable, cost-effective way to explore the lunar calendar. Artemis III will be released after the retirement of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion capsule, paving the way for a more cost-effective next-generation commercial system that will support later NASA LUNAR missions. The budget also ends the gateway plan and has the opportunity to repurpose already produced components for other tasks. International partners will be invited to join these new efforts to expand meaningful cooperation opportunities for cooperation on the moon and Mars.
• Continue the process of transitioning the ISS to commercial alternatives by 2030, focusing on efforts that are crucial to the exploration of the moon and Mars. The budget reflects the upcoming transition to a more cost-effective, open commercial approach that can be prepared to safely retire the station and its replacement with commercial space stations by reducing the crew size and onboard research.
• Efforts to minimize duplication of efforts and most effectively manage the distribution of US taxpayers’ dollars. The budget ensures that NASA's TOPLINE enables a financially sustainable trajectory to accomplish groundbreaking research and carry out the agency's bold mission.
• Focus NASA's resources on its core mission of space exploration. The budget ends climate-centric “green aviation” spending while protecting technology development through air traffic control and other U.S. government and commercial applications, resulting in savings. The budget will also ensure that any funds for the untouched DEIA program continue to be eliminated, and instead specify the money to tasks that can advance NASA's core mission. NASA will continue to inspire the next generation of explorers with exciting, ambitious space missions that demonstrate the U.S. leadership in space.

NASA will coordinate closely with its partners to implement these priorities and investments as effectively as possible.

Building on the president's commitment to increase efficiency, this budget pioneer is a concentrated, innovative and fiscally responsible path to the next era of human space exploration in the United States.

Learn more about the president’s NASA budget requirements:

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Bethany Stevens
Headquarters, Washington
771-216-2606
bethany.c.stevens@nasa.gov