National Aeronautics and Space Administration   (NASA) News

• NASA Space Update: Asteroid Flyby, Budget Cuts, and Celestial Events (May 2025)

  # NASA Space Update - Week of May 9, 2025Welcome to your weekly NASA update! I'm your host, bringing you the latest developments from America's space agency.Our top story this week: A Boeing-sized asteroid named 2025 HY2 just made its closest approach to Earth on May 7th. This Apollo-class asteroid zoomed past our planet at an incredible 48,904 kilometers per hour. While that might sound alarming, rest assured it passed at a safe distance of about 6.8 million kilometers from Earth. Though classified as a near-Earth object, this was merely a cosmic close call by astronomical standards.In budget news, President Trump's proposed fiscal year 2026 budget for NASA was released on May 2nd, focusing heavily on human space exploration. The plan allocates over $7 billion for lunar exploration and introduces $1 billion in new investments for Mars-focused programs. However, the overall NASA budget faces a significant 24% reduction from $24.8 billion in 2025 to $18.8 billion in 2026 – the lowest level since 2015.Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro expressed gratitude for the administration's "ongoing support for NASA's mission," stating she's "eager to collaborate with the White House and Congress" to achieve NASA's goals. However, the cuts come with consequences, including the termination of the Mars Sample Return Mission, leaving 27 sealed sample tubes on the Martian surface uncollected.For skywatchers, NASA reminds us that the Eta Aquarid meteor shower peaked on May 6th. If you missed it, you can still look for a rare celestial event – astronomers are watching for a nova explosion in the Corona Borealis constellation. This "new star" will appear briefly but brilliantly in our night sky, visible to the naked eye for only a few days. This type of event won't be seen again for approximately 80 years.NASA also released its 2025-2026 Science Plan update on March 10th, highlighting recent accomplishments while preparing for a more comprehensive update next year.For more information on these stories or to learn about upcoming celestial events, visit science.nasa.gov. This is your NASA Space Update – keep looking up!

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• NASA Funding Cuts Threaten Missions, ISS Scaling Back - Space Matters Update

  # NASA SPOTLIGHT: May 7, 2025INTRO: Welcome to Space Matters, your weekly update on all things NASA. I'm your host. Today we're diving into what's been a tumultuous week for America's space agency, with major budget developments dominating the headlines.LEAD STORY: On May 2nd, the White House unveiled a preliminary budget for fiscal year 2026 that would slash NASA's overall funding by a staggering 24 percent. Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro attempted to put a positive spin on the proposal, highlighting a 10 percent increase for lunar exploration, but the cuts elsewhere are severe and far-reaching.KEY IMPACTS: The Mars Sample Return Mission faces termination, meaning 27 sealed sample tubes collected by the Perseverance rover will be abandoned on the Martian surface. These samples could have provided crucial insights into potential ancient life on Mars.International Space Station funding would be reduced by over $500 million, with plans to scale back crew size, research capacity, and cargo flights. NASA states this is to prepare for "safely decommissioning the station by 2030 and transitioning to commercial replacements."NASA's Science Mission Directorate appears particularly vulnerable, with proposed funding $200 million short of its request and over $1 billion less than planned just a year ago.CONTEXT: These cuts come as NASA had already terminated $420 million in contracts earlier in April as part of the administration's broader cost-cutting initiatives. The House Appropriations Committee had previously moved forward with a more modest 1 percent increase for NASA in fiscal year 2025, but even that fell short of the rate of inflation.FOR SKYWATCHERS: Despite budget turbulence, NASA continues its public engagement. The Eta Aquarid meteor shower peaks today, May 6th. NASA also advises watching for a predicted nova explosion in the Corona Borealis constellation in the coming months—a rare astronomical event when a star briefly becomes dramatically brighter.CLOSING: The budget proposal now heads to Congress, where significant changes could occur during negotiations. Space advocates are already mobilizing to preserve funding for key scientific missions. For more details on NASA programs or to contact your representatives about space funding priorities, visit NASA.gov.This has been Space Matters. Until next week, keep looking up!

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• NASA's Budget Battle: Uncertainty Looms, Commercial Partnerships Emerge

  Welcome to your NASA News Brief for the week of May 5, 2025—a week of headline-making change and ambitious progress at the nation’s space agency. The biggest story dominating NASA this week is a proposed 24 percent budget cut by the White House—a move that would drop NASA’s annual budget from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion. These proposed cuts threaten hallmark programs like the Artemis Moon missions, the Lunar Gateway, and could even reduce International Space Station crew and research, marking a dramatic shift in how America approaches space exploration. Though these cuts aren’t final—Congressional leaders like Senators Ted Cruz and Chris Van Hollen have already signaled their intent to push back—the potential impacts are sparking debate across the sector.Despite the budget uncertainty, NASA presses forward. Major progress continues on Artemis II: the Space Launch System rocket is being stacked and the Orion spacecraft is nearly ready, with astronauts deep in mission training. On orbit, astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers just wrapped a spacewalk to prep new solar arrays, which promise to boost ISS power generation by up to 30 percent. “Each milestone is a direct reflection of your dedication, and I’m proud of all we’ve accomplished together so far,” said NASA’s Janet Petro in her latest update.Looking to lunar science, NASA signed a new deal with Magna Petra Corp. to fly the innovative MSOLO mass spectrometer technology on an upcoming commercial rover—targeting 2026—to hunt for rare lunar materials like Helium-3. This kind of public-private partnership is increasingly central as NASA pivots to leveraging the commercial sector for future Moon and Mars ambitions.On the science front, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter continues its 19-year streak of discoveries, while on Earth, excitement builds for skywatchers: the Eta Aquarid meteor shower peaks May 6, and astronomers are on alert for a rare nova explosion in the Corona Borealis constellation—an event accessible to citizen scientists of all ages.So, what does this mean for Americans? For industry, uncertainty looms, but a pivot to commercial partners may create new opportunities amid legacy program cutbacks. State and local governments tied to NASA centers may brace for ripple effects, while internationally, this budget debate could open space leadership to rivals like China. Still, bipartisan support in Congress shows space exploration remains a national priority—and key leaders are promising to fight for a robust NASA.Stay tuned as Congress debates the budget in the weeks ahead. To learn more, visit NASA’s official site or tune in to agency livestreams. And don’t forget: May is packed with skywatching opportunities, so get outside and look up! If you have thoughts on NASA’s direction, reach out to your representatives—public input will be vital as America sets its course in space.

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• NASA's Spacewalks, Balloon Launches, and Budget Challenges in the Weekly Space Update

  # NASA SPACE UPDATE: May 2, 2025[INTRO MUSIC]Welcome to your weekly NASA Space Update! I'm your host, bringing you the latest developments from America's space agency. Today, we're looking at spacewalks, balloon launches, and budget concerns.Our top story: NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers conducted a spacewalk yesterday outside the International Space Station. The duo installed mounting brackets for new solar arrays that will boost the station's power generation by up to 30% and relocated a communications antenna. This marked McClain's third spacewalk and a milestone first for Ayers.Meanwhile, in New Zealand, NASA's second scientific balloon of the 2025 Super Pressure Balloon Campaign is flight-ready and awaiting launch from Wānaka Airport. This stadium-sized, helium-filled balloon will carry several research payloads during its planned 100-day journey through the Southern Hemisphere, including instruments to study Earth's atmosphere and capture infrasound signals from earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro provided an update yesterday highlighting recent progress: "We've made major progress on Artemis II, stacking the SLS rocket and preparing Orion as our crew continues to train for their mission," she said. The Artemis II crew—astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen—are actively preparing for their lunar mission with launch scenario training and flight suit checks.NASA's progress comes against a backdrop of budget uncertainty. While the agency received a modest 1% increase in the House's proposed fiscal year 2025 budget, this falls $200 million short of the White House request and doesn't keep pace with inflation. Senator Chris Van Hollen has vowed to "fight tooth and nail" against potential deeper cuts planned for 2026, calling the proposal "not just shortsighted, it's dangerous."For skywatchers, NASA recommends looking for the Eta Aquarid meteor shower and keeping an eye on the Corona Borealis constellation, where astronomers anticipate a nova explosion—a "new star" that will briefly appear in our night sky.Want to watch NASA's activities live? All spacewalks and major events are streamed on NASA+, available across multiple platforms.That's all for this week's update. Stay tuned for more space news, and remember to look up—the universe is waiting![OUTRO MUSIC]

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• NASA Space Update: SPHEREx Operational, Workforce Reductions, X-59 Milestone

  # NASA SPACE UPDATE PODCAST - APRIL 30, 2025Welcome to this week's NASA Space Update! I'm your host, bringing you the latest from America's space agency.The big headline this week: NASA's SPHEREx observatory is officially operational after its March launch. This groundbreaking mission is already performing exactly as expected as it begins its mission to scan the entire sky, study galaxy formation, search for the building blocks of life, and peer back to the universe's earliest moments.In other mission news, NASA's PUNCH satellites, which hitched a ride with SPHEREx, are now helping scientists understand how the Sun's outer atmosphere becomes solar wind. Meanwhile, the EZIE mission, launched in March, has taken its first measurements to study auroral electrojets - intense electric currents flowing above Earth's poles.But it's not all smooth sailing for the space agency. NASA is preparing for significant workforce reductions amid budget pressures. The agency has already conducted a round of layoffs, closing its Office of the Chief Scientist and Office of Technology Policy and Strategy, impacting about 20 employees.Acting Administrator Janet Petro described these as "difficult adjustments" but viewed them as "an opportunity to reshape our workforce." The Trump administration is proposing substantial funding cuts, with the Science Mission Directorate potentially facing a 50% reduction in fiscal 2026.Senator Chris Van Hollen has vowed to "fight tooth and nail" against these cuts, calling the proposal "not just shortsighted, it's dangerous."On a brighter note, NASA recently announced that astronaut Chris Williams will make his first spaceflight in November 2025, and the X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft successfully completed engine testing as it moves toward its first flight.For students and educators, NASA's Glenn Research Center is launching the High School Engineering Institute this summer - a free program helping high school students prepare for careers in aerospace.Looking ahead, NASA astronaut Don Pettit and two Roscosmos cosmonauts are scheduled to return to Earth from the International Space Station on Saturday. And NASA's Human Exploration Rover Challenge takes place this weekend in Huntsville, Alabama.Want to learn more? Visit nasa.gov for the latest updates on missions, research, and opportunities to engage with America's space program. This is NASA Space Update - thanks for listening!

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