Proposed NASA budget would slash government moon program
President Trump has released his budget proposal for NASA. If it passes the space agency’s mission will take a major shift in priorities.
Crewed lunar exploration would get billions of dollars, and a plan will be enacted to focus on Mars programs.
This could mean layoffs on the Space Coast for thousands of employees who work on NASA’s Artemis Program.
The plan could cut the lunar Gateway program and phase out the Space Launch System rocket and Orion capsule.
The Trump Administration’s 2026 NASA budget proposal would make several funding shifts towards the aim of beating China back to the moon.
Around $647 million would be added to NASA’s human space exploration budget compared to last year.
The proposal would eliminate the Gateway space station that would orbit the moon and phase out the SLS rocket and Orion capsule, and shift towards commercializing missions.
The proposal also takes half a billion dollars in ISS funding, reducing crew size and research as NASA prepares to move to commercial space stations.
Congress has the final say on approving the 2026 budget.
Number of bills passed during Florida Legislative Session trended downward compared to recent years
Lawmakers passed 254 bills this session, or about 13 percent of all proposals filed. That’s 75 less than last year, and 100 less than in 2023.
Political watchers, like University of Central Florida Political Science professor Aubrey Jewett, suggest this may because lawmakers are out of step with Governor Ron DeSantis this session compared to sessions past.
“The last six years when Governor DeSantis was the dominant player in Tallahassee and the legislature, both House and Senate typically would just go along with whatever the governor wanted to do, and so compared to that, this is really unusual.”
Lawmakers need to meet again to pass the budget, and passing additional policy is not necessarily off the table. Meanwhile, DeSantis has also signaled opposition to several bills lawmakers approved, so the total number of bills that become law this session may end up even lower.
Environmental advocates call for more electric school buses in Pinellas County
Environmentalists are calling for a renewed focus on electric school buses saying it could improve air quality and children’s health.
Lorna Perez with Moms Clean Air Force says emissions from cars on the road can be harmful.
“To acknowledge our collective responsibility to create communities where everyone has access to clean air.”
The leaders are calling on Congress to invest in cleaner, cheaper energy, specifically investments in electric school buses.
And Ali DySard with the Environmental Defense Fund says the issue has received bipartisan support.
“It’s not a Republican or a Democratic initiative - electric school buses are great for Florida, great for our local air,”
Governor Ron DeSantis’s Department of Environmental Protection purchased over 200 electric buses in 2022 statewide, using funds from a Volkswagen settlement.
SpaceX is scheduled for a Falcon 9 launch
SpaceX is scheduled for a Falcon 9 launch of 28 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Liftoff is targeted for 8:22 p.m. ET, with backup opportunities available on Wednesday, May 7.
This is the seventh flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission.
Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Just Read the Instructions drone ship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
More: www.floridatoday.com
