NASA scrambles to cut ISS activity after Trump budget—its options are not great
One major surprise in the Trump administration’s “skinny budget” proposal for NASA, released last Friday, was a demand that the US space agency reduce its activities on the International Space Station.
“The Budget reduces the space station’s crew size and onboard research, preparing for a safe decommissioning of the station by 2030 and replacement by commercial space stations,” stated the budget request for fiscal year 2026. “Crew and cargo flights to the station would be significantly reduced. The station’s reduced research capacity would be focused on efforts critical to the Moon and Mars exploration programs.”
The budget proposal estimates this would save $508 million from a budget of about $3 billion annually to support the International Space Station.
