04/22/2026 at 10:00AM
Witness:
- Jared Isaacman, Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
The Administration requested $18.829 billion for NASA in FY27. This represents a decrease of $5.61 billion (23%) from FY26 enacted appropriations, including a 46% cut in the science budget.
The FY27 request for the Earth Science Division is $1.02 billion, a decrease of $1.13 billion (52.6%) from FY26 enacted. The Earth Science Division focuses on deepening our understanding of our home planet and its interconnected systems. The FY27 request supports one final government satellite for the Landsat program, while supporting advancements to Sustained Land Imaging to enable a commercial solution for Landsat. The request reduces funding for Earth System Explorers’ Future missions, with planned adjustments to the implementation schedule for the mission selected for FY26. Additionally, the request reduces funding for Earth Science Technology, terminating or delaying activities within the Instrument Incubator project and Advanced Technology Initiatives.
Biological and Physical Sciences: The FY27 budget request for the Biological and Physical Sciences (BPS) Division is $25 million, a $61 million decrease (70.9%) from FY26 enacted. The Division supports research in space to obtain insights into how biological and physical systems function under altered gravity and deep-space radiation. BPS has five goals, which align with the 2023-2032 Decadal Survey, in Quantum Leaps, Precision Health, Space Crops, Foundations, and Space Labs. Under reduced funding, the budget request focuses support on two new projects: Exploration Science and Quantum Science. The Exploration Science project supports research efforts on high-priority activities to support future Moon and Mars missions. Building on organchip research from Artemis II, scientists will use microphysiological systems (tiny models of human tissue) to study how space conditions affect health. The Quantum Science project funds the Cold Atom Laboratory, currently conducting experiments on the ISS, along with other experiments used to further NASA’s understanding of physics and scientific theories.
The Administration’s FY27 budget requests no funding for NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM). OSTEM manages four projects: National Space Grant College and Fellowship Project (Space Grant), Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP), and Next Generation STEM project (Next Gen STEM), all proposed to be cut by the request. The request proposes to use the remaining balances under OSTEM to support the closeout of OSTEM activities.