Is NASA's science budget heading for a black hole?

Dare mighty things ... as long as we can afford it

COMMENT NASA could be in line for severe cuts to its science budget, with a 50 percent reduction floated by folk in the space industry. The consequences would, according to observers, be nothing less than catastrophic.

This comes shortly after the American space agency was told to get ready to lay off 1,000 employees. That threat was removed, possibly at the behest of the incoming Administrator Jared Isaacman. Still, according to The Planetary Society, budget belt-tightening would be "an extinction event for space science and exploration in the United States."

Dramatic? Not really. Should the cuts come to pass, NASA's science budget would fall off a cliff so steep that even a Tesla shareholder might say "steady on." Estimates from The Planetary Society show that funding could drop to levels not seen since 1985.

Former Voyager scientist Dr Garry Hunt told The Register that such a deep financial laceration, if enacted, "would be catastrophic for both current and planned missions."

"I know from my JPL colleagues they are worried about the NASA cuts, which could impact future programs and their activities," he said.

NASA has been responsible for groundbreaking scientific achievements over the years, with flagship projects such as the New Horizons probe's Pluto encounter and the technological tour de force of the James Webb Space Telescope. However, these triumphs all require funding. If budget shrinkage is implemented, some difficult decisions must be made. Even the veteran Voyager project could be on the chopping block.

Hunt said: "In my opinion, it would be stupid for there to be any meddling with the Voyager budget, especially at this stage of this incredible mission."

Isaacman professed ignorance of the "supposed cuts," saying in a social media statement: "The President said he's targeting fraud, waste and abuse with a scalpel – not a hatchet."

While Isaacman urged people to ignore rumor and speculation, the turmoil surrounding NASA appears to be having an effect. A source at another space agency told The Register that morale at NASA is understanably falling.

It is entirely possible the budget reduction will not be as severe as feared, and the 50 percent figure is being used to test the water and gauge reaction. It is hard to imagine Congress waving through such drastic action.

That said, other changes are in the works at NASA. In a memo obtained by unofficial agency watchdog NASAWatch, Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro told staff that as part of the Trump administration's efficiency drive, a reduction in force (RIF) was now underway.

"We will close NASA's Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy [OTPS], the Office of the Chief Scientist, and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility [DEIA] branch in the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, along with reducing their workforce."

While the DEIA elimination is unsurprising given the Trump administration's antipathy toward such programs, the loss of the Office of the Chief Scientist and the OTPS will be a blow.

The memo continues: "While this will mean making difficult adjustments, we're viewing this as an opportunity to reshape our workforce, ensuring we are doing what is statutorily required of us, while also providing American citizens with an efficient and effective agency. Embrace the Challenge."

The Register contacted NASA to confirm the memo and the number of roles that would be affected, but we have yet to receive a response from the agency.

Isaacman is correct that any budget changes are unconfirmed. However, the trajectory seems clear. A reduction in NASA's science budget is likely to be on the way, along with some potentially painful decisions.

The agency Isaacman will eventually is likely to look quite different from the one his predecessor left behind. ®

Updated to add

A NASA spokesperson has confirmed the US space agency was indeed closing its Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy; the Office of the Chief Scientist; and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Branch of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, along with reducing their workforce.

23 employees are affected, we're told.