The 2025 Day of Action follows a massively successful write-in campaign. More than 15,600 letters were sent to Congress and the White House in opposition to a rumored proposal to cut NASA’s Earth and space science program by up to 50%.
Unfortunately, cuts to NASA are not new to the space science community. Since fiscal year (FY) 2020, NASA’s budget has not kept pace with inflation. This, coupled with a half-billion dollar cut enacted by Congress in FY 2024, has resulted in a bruised Science Mission Directorate, whose leadership has been put in an awful position where delays and project cancellations are inevitable without congressional recourse.
The proposed and retracted lay-off of more than 1,000 NASA probationary employees, the indefinite delays of missions like VERITAS, VIPER, and Mars Sample Return, and growing uncertainty regarding the yet-released FY 2026 President’s Budget Request have sent shockwaves through the space community. This has jeopardized the morale of the American high-tech workforce, the stability of the nascent space economy, and the future of American space leadership.
Indeed, these are extraordinary times.
To be clear, recent events have shaken many people’s faith and trust in government institutions. In the weeks leading up to this event, I heard from numerous friends and colleagues that they didn’t believe their participation in the Day of Action would make a difference. This could not be further from the truth.
Every year, I am humbled by the outpouring of support we receive from the participants in our Day of Action. And every year, I am thrilled to walk the halls of Congress alongside these people who take time out of their busy schedules and come to D.C. to share their love for space exploration. These people are not paid lobbyists. They are everyday people, from every walk of life, who are excited about humanity’s future in space. To distill the effort, passion, and commitment I saw from these advocates this year into one word, it would be: extraordinary. And the result this year? Exemplary.
The message for the Day of Action revolved around the slogan that adorned the commemorative T-shirts: NASA works.
In every meeting, participants offered their perspectives and provided data about the scientific, economic, and cultural impact of NASA and humanity’s exploration of the Cosmos. NASA provides a substantial 3-to-1 return on the taxpayers’ investment. This supports more than 300,000 jobs across the country and enables near-daily scientific discoveries and technological innovation. Only NASA has the ability to lead the sometimes decades-long efforts to push the boundaries of human knowledge and develop the technologies that become commonplace in our everyday lives. Space companies are an exciting new tool to help NASA accomplish its mission on schedule and on budget, but no private enterprise has the ability to replicate or replace what NASA does or means to the world. It is a balance of commercial interest, public investment, and government stability that makes NASA the premier space agency. And that all begins with restoring funding for NASA and its revolutionary science programs.
In addition to the call for reviving funding for NASA, the Planetary Science Caucus — now in its second session of Congress — was a primary focus of the grassroots advocacy effort. The Caucus now boasts nearly two dozen members, with the addition of Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) and Rep. Sarah McBride (D-DE), among others, who joined during the Day of Action. This group of legislators is taking on the commendable task of being the bulwark for space science funding and support in Congress. I hope you will encourage your legislators to join them.