Former NASA Leaders Are Sounding the Alarm on Budget Cuts

The White House has proposed sharp cuts to NASA’s science budget,
potentially reducing it to historic lows not seen since the early
Apollo era. Beyond space exploration, NASA’s work influences daily
life—from accurate weather forecasting to essential climate data
for agriculture. Concerned by the effects of these cuts, all living
former NASA science chiefs have united in warning of dire
consequences for U.S. leadership in science. In this episode,
Scientific American senior editor Lee Billings speaks with host
Rachel Feltman to discuss why this moment feels especially urgent
and what one former NASA science chief thinks about it. Recommended
reading: White House Budget Plan Would Devastate U.S. Space Science
U.S. Secretary of the Interior: Satellites Will Help Us Fight
Climate Change The Trump-Musk Fight Could Have Huge Consequences
for U.S. Space Programs Email us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you
have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!
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produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper and Jeff
DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura. Shayna Posses
and Aaron Shattuck fact-check the show. The theme music was
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