NASA employees break silence, blast Trump's budget cuts
What's the story
Nearly 300 current and former employees of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), including at least four astronauts, have criticized the Trump administration's major budget cuts. The employees say these cuts threaten safety, innovation, and national security. The formal letter is titled "The Voyager Declaration," and it has been addressed to Sean Duffy, the acting NASA administrator who was appointed on July 7.
Warning signs
'Last 6 months have seen rapid and wasteful changes'
The Voyager Declaration, named after the twin NASA spacecraft exploring interstellar space, warns about possible disasters if proposed cuts to science grants, staffing, and international missions are made. "Major programmatic shifts at NASA must be implemented strategically so that risks are managed carefully," the letter said. It further added that "the last six months have seen rapid and wasteful changes which have undermined our mission."
Critique of leadership
Letter calls cuts 'arbitrary'
The letter also criticized the current leadership for prioritizing political momentum over human safety, scientific advancement, and efficient use of public resources. It described the cuts as "arbitrary" and enacted against congressional appropriations law. The signatories warned that the consequences for both NASA and the country could be dire if these changes were implemented.
Safety concerns
Alarms raised over proposed changes to NASA's technical authority
The letter also raised alarms over proposed changes to NASA's Technical Authority, a system of safety checks and balances set up after the 2003 Columbia shuttle disaster. "The culture of organizational silence promoted at NASA over the last six months already represents a dangerous turn away from the lessons learned after the Columbia disaster," it said.
Support for declaration
Letter comes amid reports of loss of 2,600 employees
The Voyager Declaration has 131 named signatures, including at least 55 current NASA employees, and 156 anonymous signatories. Interim administrator Duffy is the last step in the chain of Technical Authority command. The letter comes amid reports that Elon Musk oversaw the loss of at least 2,600 of NASA's over 17,000 employees before stepping back from his role in the "Department of government efficiency" or Doge.
Financial impact
$120 million in NASA grants terminated so far
So far, at least $120 million in NASA grants have been terminated. The White House has proposed a budget cut of over $6 billion to NASA's 2025 budget. International missions have been canceled, and nearly half of the agency's science budget could be cut in 2026. The signatories of the letter stressed their disagreement with these indiscriminate cuts to NASA research that supports national security by ensuring US global leadership in science and technology.