The 2025 Day of Motion follows a massively profitable write-in marketing campaign. Greater than 15,600 letters had been despatched to Congress and the White Home in opposition to a rumored proposal to chop NASA’s Earth and house science program by as much as 50%.
Sadly, cuts to NASA are usually not new to the house science neighborhood. Since fiscal yr (FY) 2020, NASA’s price range has not saved tempo with inflation. This, coupled with a half-billion greenback lower enacted by Congress in FY 2024, has resulted in a bruised Science Mission Directorate, whose management has been put in an terrible place the place delays and mission cancellations are inevitable with out congressional recourse.
The proposed and retracted lay-off of greater than 1,000 NASA probationary workers, the indefinite delays of missions like VERITAS, VIPER, and Mars Pattern Return, and rising uncertainty relating to the yet-released FY 2026 President’s Price range Request have despatched shockwaves by way of the house neighborhood. This has jeopardized the morale of the American high-tech workforce, the soundness of the nascent house financial system, and the way forward for American house management.
Certainly, these are extraordinary instances.
To be clear, current occasions have shaken many individuals’s religion and belief in authorities establishments. Within the weeks main as much as this occasion, I heard from quite a few associates and colleagues that they didn’t imagine their participation within the Day of Motion would make a distinction. This might not be farther from the reality.
Yearly, I’m humbled by the outpouring of help we obtain from the contributors in our Day of Motion. And yearly, I’m thrilled to stroll the halls of Congress alongside these individuals who take day out of their busy schedules and are available to D.C. to share their love for house exploration. These persons are not paid lobbyists. They’re on a regular basis folks, from each stroll of life, who’re enthusiastic about humanity’s future in house. To distill the hassle, ardour, and dedication I noticed from these advocates this yr into one phrase, it will be: extraordinary. And the outcome this yr? Exemplary.
The message for the Day of Motion revolved across the slogan that adorned the commemorative T-shirts: NASA works.
In each assembly, contributors supplied their views and offered information concerning the scientific, financial, and cultural influence of NASA and humanity’s exploration of the Cosmos. NASA offers a considerable 3-to-1 return on the taxpayers’ funding. This helps greater than 300,000 jobs throughout the nation and allows near-daily scientific discoveries and technological innovation. Solely NASA has the flexibility to guide the typically decades-long efforts to push the boundaries of human data and develop the applied sciences that turn into commonplace in our on a regular basis lives. Area firms are an thrilling new device to assist NASA accomplish its mission on schedule and on price range, however no personal enterprise has the flexibility to duplicate or change what NASA does or means to the world. It’s a steadiness of economic curiosity, public funding, and authorities stability that makes NASA the premier house company. And that each one begins with restoring funding for NASA and its revolutionary science applications.
Along with the decision for reviving funding for NASA, the Planetary Science Caucus — now in its second session of Congress — was a major focus of the grassroots advocacy effort. The Caucus now boasts practically two dozen members, with the addition of Rep. Pete Classes (R-TX) and Rep. Sarah McBride (D-DE), amongst others, who joined through the Day of Motion. This group of legislators is taking over the commendable process of being the bulwark for house science funding and help in Congress. I hope you’ll encourage your legislators to affix them.
