NASA Prepares For $6 Billion Budget Cut Amid Shift Towards Elon Musk's Mars-Focused Initiatives

Namrata Sen

May 05, 2025

In a significant shift towards Mars-focused endeavors, NASA is set to face a budget cut of $6 billion. The move is in line with the aspirations of SpaceX and its CEO, Elon Musk.

What Happened: The proposed cut by the Trump administration would result in a 25% decrease in NASA’s funding. The plan also includes a $1 billion investment in Mars-focused programs, reflecting the Trump administration’s support for space exploration.

NASA’s acting administrator, Janet Petro, warned in an email to the agency that the reduced budget would necessitate “tough choices” and lead to the scaling back or termination of some of NASA’s activities, according to a recent CNBC report.

Under the new budget, NASA would retire several programs, including the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, the Orion spacecraft, and the Gateway program. The budget’s approval would also impact NASA’s space science, Earth science, and mission support divisions.

The proposed budget includes more than $7 billion for lunar exploration. SpaceX, a key contractor for both NASA and the Department of Defense, has long pursued the goal of sending a crewed mission to Mars. Musk has played a significant role in shaping regulatory reforms via the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Despite the looming budget cuts, Petro advised NASA employees to “persevere, stay resilient, and lean into the discipline it takes to do things that have never been done before.”

SEE ALSO: Apple To Split iPhone Launches Starting 2026, Foldable Model May Debut With iPhone 18 Pro: Report

Why It Matters: The budget cut and shift towards Mars-focused initiatives align with Elon Musk’s long-standing ambition of space travel. Musk had previously expressed his desire to die on Mars, emphasizing that space travel is the best way to extend the life of humanity.

Furthermore, Jared Isaacman, President Donald Trump’s nominee for the next NASA chief, echoed this Mars-focused vision during his Senate confirmation hearing.

However, this ambitious timeline has been met with skepticism. Former NASA astronaut JosÃ© HernÃ¡ndez predicted that human travel to Mars is still “a good 15 years away,” contradicting Musk’s more optimistic timeline of 5 years.

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Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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