Photo: NASA

NASA released its fiscal year 2025 budget proposal on Monday, requesting $25.4 billion, as the agency works to return humans to the Moon in the Artemis program; advance climate research; and continue the transition to commercial space stations. This total is less than NASA has asked for in recent years. 

The $25.4 billion ask is the same amount NASA received for 2023, when the agency asked for $26 billion. 

Last week, Congress released NASA’s spending bill for 2024, allocating the agency about $24.9 billion, a budget cut from the 2023 allocation. NASA had asked for $27.2 billion in 2024. 

The budget request includes $7.8 billion for the Artemis program to return humans to the Moon. It would support activities for Artemis missions II through XII, including the launches of Artemis II in 2025, Artemis III in 2026, and Artemis IV in 2028.

NASA is increasing its ask for Moon to Mars Lunar Systems Development from $2.6 billion in the 2023 operating plan to $3.3 billion in the 2025 request. This includes funding for the Human Landing System program to develop and deploy landing systems that will transport astronauts to the Moon, and $818 million for Gateway development to establish a multi-purpose outpost orbiting the Moon. 

But the agency is decreasing the ask for Commercial LEO Development, which invests in companies projects to build commercial space stations in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) to succeed the International Space Station (ISS). NASA budgets $170 million for Commercial LEO in 2025, compared to $224 million in the 2023 operating plan. 

The funding request for the Space Technology Mission Directorate, which funds some commercial development of new technologies, is roughly the same for 2025 as the budget plan for 2023, at about $1.2 billion. 

The 2025 request for Earth Science of $2.4 billion is an increase over the $2.2 billion in the 2023 budget plan. This includes a broad portfolio of missions including Surface Biology and Geology, GRACE-Continuity, and Landsat Next. It also initiates the first Earth System Explorers mission and implements the Responsive Science Initiatives program. It also continues support for research and applications related to wildland fire management and agriculture. 

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in the “State of NASA” address on Monday, that he will “fight for NASA” for the FY25 budget priorities, after the agency’s budget was cut in the Congressional budget for 2024. 

Former NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver pointed out that the $25.4 billion request is about $2 billion less than NASA previously projected it would ask for 2025. 

“Along with congressional cut of $2.3 billion for 2024, the agency’s growth trend is now reversed,” Garver said on X. “Absorbing these reductions w/out canceling major programs will cause delays across the board. Touch choices.”