Several senators are asking appropriators to increase funding for NASA's robotic Mars exploration efforts, fearing "severe and irreversible harm" if funding is not restored.
A fiscal year 2026 appropriations bill provided that account with $110 million in lieu of funding the Mars Sample Return (MSR) program, which suffered cost overruns and schedule delays that led the administration to seek its cancellation.
NASA's proposed funding for Mars Future Missions is part of a science budget that once again faces major cuts. The 2027 proposal released April 3 would cut overall NASA science funding by 47% to $3.4 billion, threatening dozens of planned or active missions with termination.
