A House hearing on NASA’s asteroid defense efforts turned into a discussion about the agency’s proposed budget cuts, which could impact its science programs. The $276.6 million requested for planetary defense in 2025 is just over 1% of NASA’s overall budget.
Planetary defense has received high profile attention, including when an asteroid with a 3% chance of colliding with Earth was ruled out. “Planetary defense is one of the most important objectives” of NASA, said Rep. Mike Haridopolos. A recent survey found that planetary defense was the top priority for American citizens.
However, Democratic members used the hearing to question the impact of proposed budget cuts on NASA’s science programs. Rep. Valerie Foushee warned that cuts would “cripple the agency’s ability” to pursue ambitious goals. Rep. Zoe Lofgren noted that cooperation with other agencies may be disrupted if budget cuts affect planetary defense.
NASA Associate Administrator for Science, Nicky Fox, received little information on the proposed budget’s effect on NASA science. She stated that only a “skinny” budget framework was released, which would reduce overall spending by 24% from 2025 levels. The full president’s budget is needed to see priorities and direction.
The NEO Surveyor mission, designed to search for asteroids more effectively, is still scheduled to launch in 2027 or 2028. However, Fox noted that work on the mission is ongoing but details on the proposed budget are unknown.
Source: https://spacenews.com/house-hearing-on-asteroid-threats-also-takes-up-budget-threats