We're consolidating: Nasa trims digital presence as Trump's budget cut hits

American space agency, Nasa, which has been known for its transparency and massive social media presence has begun trimming its digital presence as it archives big-ticket mission handles on X and other social media platforms."Important Update: As part of NASA's effort to streamline communications, this account will be archived in the coming weeks – but don't worry, my mission isn't going anywhere," read several of the handles on X. These included social media handles of Perseverance rover, Curiosity rover, Voyager Missions and others.advertisementThe social media handle of Dr. Nicky Fox, NASA's Science Associate Administrator read the message, "We're consolidating our X presence."
The latest developments come as Nasa continues to function without a full-time administrator as the Trump administration pulled its support for Jared Issacman, who was due senate clearance to become to next Nasa chief. The White House ended its support over reports of Issacman donating money to the Democrats in the past.The Trump administration's fiscal year 2026 budget proposal for NASA paints a grim picture for the agency's future. It calls for a staggering 47% cut to NASA's science funding and slashes nearly one-third of its workforce — reducing staff from 17,391 to 11,853.advertisementThough the budget still requires Congressional approval, its implications are alarming.
According to the Planetary Society, the proposal would cancel 41 science missions, including the Mars Sample Return (MSR) program — despite years of effort by the Perseverance rover to collect crucial Martian samples.Also on the chopping block is OSIRIS-APEX, the probe currently en route to asteroid Apophis after successfully delivering asteroid Bennu samples to Earth.Other casualties include the Jupiter-orbiting Juno mission and NASA's second withdrawal from the Rosalind Franklin rover, a joint Mars project with ESA. If passed, the FY26 budget could mark a dramatic retreat in American space exploration and planetary science.Must Watch

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