Trump to kill key space, climate science projects, show documents

US President Donald Trump is about to kill key space and climate science projects across various agencies, according to documents accessed by media outlets.

Trump’s proposed budget axes climate science research at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and key telescope and space traffic projects, among others, at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa).

The cuts come at a time when the Trump administration is dismantling the US government in the name of cutting wasteful government expenditures. While savings under efforts helmed by billionaire Elon Musk have been negligible so far at $150 billion, the harm is deemed to be immense.

Abroad, the gutting of State Department programmes has reduced US footprint globally and allowed China to expand its influence. Domestically, environmental protection, consumer welfare, and even basics like postal services have been disrupted because of mass-firings.

The Trump administration has proposed to cut Nasa’s science budget for the fiscal year 2026 by nearly half to $3.9 billion and the key weather and climate science organisation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is set to have its budget cut by 27 per cent to $4.5 billion, according to documents cited by Nature.

Top space, climate science projects on Trump’s chopping board

NOAA’s climate science arm to be killed

The Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) at NOAA would be eliminated as a result of cuts, according to Guardian.

Former NOAA administrator Rick Spinrad told the newspaper that budget documents comprise “an extraordinarily devastating set of recommendations”.

“The elimination of NOAA’s research line office and all of its research capabilities is a crushing blow to the ability of our country to protect our citizens and also to lead the world,” said Spinrad.

The work of OAR, which oversees a cost of critical climate research, would be absorbed in other NOAA entities upon its elimination.

The work of the OAR includes climate modelling, cloud monitoring, and hurricane forecasting, according to Nature.

As the NOAA’s main research arm, the OAR runs 11 laboratories and 16 cooperative institutes that engage scientists at various universities.

Trump’s proposed budget would also terminate six regional NOAA centres that collect climate data and provide guidance about weather and climate for the areas they serve, as per Nature.

Nasa’s space telescope

Trump’s proposed budget would shut down the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope that is about to be completed.

In the first term, Trump tried to kill the project, but Congress kept the funding for the telescope.

However, as a subservient Republican Party now controls both the houses of Congress, no such pushback is now expected.

Satellites of Nasa and NOAA

Funds for satellites used by both Nasa and NOAA are expected to be cut under Trump’s proposed budget.

At Nasa, the Earth science budget is set to be cut to half that would derail the launch of new satellites for weather and climate monitoring purposes, according to Nature.

The outlet further reported that the programme at NOAA to build and launch weather satellites as part of US weather-forecasting efforts is also set to be shut down.

Missions to Venus face uncertain future

Trump’s budget cuts are also set to affect the DAVINCI mission and VERITAS mission to Venus.

The DAVINCI mission involves sending a probe into Venus’ atmosphere and VERITAS mission intends to map Venus’ surface and interiors.

Space traffic management

As more and more satellites are crowding the low-Earth orbit, there have been calls for space traffic management.

In 2018, Trump in his first term took initial steps to set up a space traffic control office. Now, the Trump administration has proposed to move space traffic management outside of the government’s control and reduce the said private initiative’s budget from $65 million to $10 million.