Lawmakers have spent the past week telling NASA that they don’t support the administration’s FY27 budget request for the agency. Now, House appropriators have taken the first legislative step to formally reject the spending plan.
The House Appropriations Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee released its bill for NASA’s FY27 budget, which would provide $24.4B for the agency—a significant plus up from the $18.8B request from the administration. Lawmakers met on Thursday morning to mark up the bill, and advanced it to the full appropriations committee by an 8-6 vote that split along party lines.
“NASA’s successful Artemis II mission around the Moon was an inspiring reminder that we must remain ahead of global competition—and that same vision is reflected throughout this bill,” Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY), chair of the subcommittee, said in a statement.
By the numbers: The $24.4B topline request for the agency would keep funding flat from the amount appropriated by Congress in FY26—when lawmakers also rejected substantial cuts proposed by the administration. Congress boosted the numbers in nearly every mission directorate:
- $6B for space science, compared to the Trump administration’s proposal of $3.9B, but still below the $7.3B Congress approved in FY26.
- $8.9B for space exploration, slightly above the administration’s $8.5B request.
- $4.4B for space operations, up from the $3B request.
- $913M for space technology, an increase from $624.3M.
- $850M for aeronautics, a boost from $609.5M.
And, yet: Despite the spending increases, Democrats opposed the bill due to several factors, including cuts to programs to address gun violence, support for rural businesses, and help lower-income Americans.
Within NASA, Democrats slammed cuts to the space agency’s science portfolio.
“For decades, the United States was a destination for the world’s top researchers to come and do their best work,” Rep. Grace Meng (D-CA), the subcommittee’s ranking member, said at the markup. “Now we are beginning to lose our own scientific talent to opportunities overseas, as a result of this administration’s attacks on science and universities.”
Zoom out: The bill covers more than just NASA funding. Other space-related agencies include:
- $10.15B for the Department of Commerce—including $5.9B for NOAA, up from the $4.5B in the Trump administration proposal.
- $7B for the National Science Foundation—a significant increase from the $4B administration proposal, but still below the $8.8M appropriated by Congress in FY26.
What’s next: The full House Appropriations Committee will mark up the bill on May 13.
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More than just money, NASA is throwing its full weight behind what Administrator Isaacman sees as the agency’s “logical evolution.”
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The hearing also gave Isaacman a chance to provide more detail on the agency’s top objective: accelerate the US return to the Moon.
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“I simply do not believe that this budget proposal is capable of supporting what President [Donald] Trump himself has directed the agency to accomplish,” Babin said.
White House Requests $18.8B FY27 Budget for NASA
The budget proposal includes the same top line as the administration’s fiscal 2026 request, and would make similar cuts to NASA’s science and STEM missions.
Private European capital markets are increasingly comfortable backing space-industry upstarts.
The European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) released its annual report on the global space investing landscape—Space Venture 2025—which found that European space ventures attracted €1.4B in private investment last year.
It’s a small share compared to the global €11.7B total for private capital raised last year, but at least on the VC front, things are trending in the right direction.
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