An investigative report has highlighted that funding for NASA’s research and analysis (R&A) programs has stagnated over the past 15 years, disregarding recommendations from community-led decadal surveys and directives from Congress. Adjusted for inflation, spending on these programs has dropped by 30% in real value from Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 to FY2025.
Read More
Mark Sykes, a planetary scientist at the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona, stated, "The consequences are devastating. NASA is losing the intellectual content needed to identify and answer significant scientific questions and the community of scientists necessary for maintaining leadership in the field."
R&A programs support competitively awarded proposals that yield fundamental research and data analysis, which are crucial for NASA’s missions across various domains, including high-profile astronomical projects and lunar exploration.
In the 2011 and 2022 planetary science decadal surveys, the scientific community urged NASA to increase its R&A budget to support a broader research agenda, suggesting that funding levels should exceed inflation. Congress also recommended that NASA enhance its R&A grant programs, aiming for R&A to comprise 10% of the budget of the relevant divisions of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate by FY2025. However, both the surveys and Congressional goals are not legally binding yet are expected to be observed.
Sykes utilized data obtained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and publicly accessible documents to assess NASA's R&A funding, as it is not listed distinctly in NASA’s budget. His evaluation of funding levels across different programs revealed a consistent trend of underfunding.
In 2013, the first year referenced by the 2011 decadal survey, R&A spending was $119 million, which was already below the recommended $140 million. By 2023, planetary R&A expenditure accounted for only 2.5% of the Planetary Science Division (PSD) budget, a shortfall of around $185 million from the suggested allocations.
While NASA projected $144 million for planetary R&A in FY2025, actual spending was only 47% of that amount by mid-fiscal year. Sykes noted a historical tendency for NASA to fully utilize budgeted funds, raising concerns over the agency's financial strategy under recent administrations.
This investigation spans eight NASA administrators and four presidential administrations, illustrating a long-term trend of underfunding in research and analysis without direct accountability. Sykes warned of broader consequences due to deep cuts to science proposed by the Administration coupled with reductions in experienced NASA personnel, potentially jeopardizing the U.S.’s scientific standing.
—Kimberly M. S. Cartier