U.S. President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), have initiated a federal government restructuring that is shaking the world's top space agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). NASA has even halted key project meetings due to budget cut concerns.
On the 16th (local time), The Washington Post (WP) reported that "NASA employees and contractors do not even know what will happen tomorrow, and they cannot guarantee that they can continue to work," noting that "the world's top space agency has entered a realm of uncertainty as President Trump returns to the White House and billionaire space entrepreneur Musk oversees a government agency."
Founded in 1958, NASA is a presidential agency that oversees non-military space development and promotes comprehensive space programs. Due to this nature, NASA's projects are planned to span years or even decades. However, with the new government taking office, the continuity of projects has become uncertain, and there is also speculation about the possibility of relocating its Washington headquarters to Florida or Texas when the lease expires in three years.
Within NASA, there are concerns that the development of the "Space Launch System (SLS)" may be scrapped, and if Trump and Musk pursue the "Mars Exploration Project," NASA's long-prepared lunar exploration missions could be scaled back. President Trump expressed his commitment to Mars exploration in his inaugural speech, stating that he would send American astronauts to Mars to plant the U.S. flag. The "Mars Sample Return Project" is also under review.
As of the 31st of last month, activities of NASA's scientific advisory bodies have also been suspended. This includes scientific committees focused on specific research targets such as Mercury, Venus, Mars, and the Moon. NASA explained that this was a temporary measure to review the compatibility with the recent presidential actions. The Mercury Exploration Assessment Group (MExAG) canceled a meeting scheduled for the 4th, which was expected to include more than 60 scientists.
NASA's future relies on DOGE led by Musk. On the 11th, President Trump signed an executive order requiring federal agencies to swiftly begin preparations for large-scale layoffs, giving DOGE team leaders at each agency authority over personnel decisions. The DOGE team arrived at NASA on the 13th. President Trump has nominated billionaire Jared Isaacman, an ally of Musk, as the Director General of NASA.
Acting NASA Director Janet Petro noted in an email to employees that "the DOGE team is expected to review NASA's contracts to find efficiencies." Regarding Trump's executive order requiring each government agency to immediately begin preparations for large-scale layoffs, she stated, "NASA will comply with this order and all executive orders."
NASA's budget is also likely to be significantly cut. Space industry officials are concerned that the NASA budget, which amounts to about $25 billion (approximately 36 trillion won) in the budget proposal submitted by President Trump to Congress, will be drastically reduced. Petro said at a press conference on the 12th, "DOGE will review our expenditures similarly to what it did at other agencies."
The Trump administration has also ordered NASA to terminate "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" (DEI) programs and to fire related staff. NASA has not specifically disclosed what changes related to DEI will occur. However, in accordance with the Trump administration's policies, NASA has removed content on its website that included historic stories of the first female and minority astronauts.
Gus Illingworth, a scientist who conceived the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) concept and a professor at the University of California, said, "An extremely successful research institution is under attack." WP noted that "it remains uncertain how Trump's return to power will change NASA's direction and what path U.S. space exploration policy will take."