NASA veterans warn political pressure and slashed funding are stalling humanity\’s future missions

NASA Funding Cuts Pose a Mission‑Critical Threat

Background: A 287‑Member Group of NASA Professionals Responds

The group, composed of current and former NASA staff, drafted a letter titled the “Voyager Declaration” to NASA’s interim administrator and transportation secretary Sean Duffy. The declaration condemns the Trump administration’s recent policy changes, describing them as “rapid, wasteful, and damaging” to NASA’s core mission.

Letter Highlights: A Call to Preserve NASA’s Workforce and Security

In the letter, the group urges Duffy not to implement the administration’s harmful cuts, which the authors claim would:

• Waste public resources
• Compromise human safety
• <b  weaken national security

Key Points from the Declaration

• NASA has already lost three departments as part of broader Department of Government Efficiency cuts.
• Several employees were also terminated in the DOGE cuts.
• The letter warns that the administration’s proposed cuts “are not in the best interest of NASA.”

Safety Concerns: How Funding Cuts Could Endanger Future Missions

The group stresses that funding reductions could jeopardize the safety of upcoming missions, representing “a dangerous turn away from the lessons learned following the Columbia disaster.” In 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry, killing all seven astronauts on board.

The declaration also notes:

• “Cutting funding for missions and shutting them down is not reversible.”
• “Once operational spacecraft are decommissioned, they cannot be turned back on.”
• “Cancelling missions in development threatens to end the next generation of crucial observations.”

Conclusion: The Need for Swift Action to Safeguard NASA’s Future

The 287 members call for NASA’s interim administrator to halt the administration’s harmful cuts, asserting that such cuts would endanger future missions, compromise safety, and undermine national security.

NASA Employees Unite in Declaration

287 Current and Former NASA Staff Sign Statement

NASA’s press secretary, Bethany Stevens, emphasizes unwavering commitment to safety.

Safe‑Critical Role Reductions Planned

• The agency’s voluntary reduction will prioritize safety‑critical positions.
• Stevens assures that any workforce adjustments will never jeopardize safety.

Group of NASA Veterans Fails to Receive Response

When queried about a reply from Duffy’s team, a group representative confirmed that no communication has been received.

NIH and EPA Mirror NASA’s Stance

Employees from the National Institutes of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency released analogous declarations that criticize the abrupt DOGE cuts.

March Workforce Losses Exceed 200,000 Across Federal Agencies

• The DOGE reductions resulted in the termination of more than 200,000 federal workers.
• These layoffs have left significant gaps in public service across all agencies.

July 23, 2:17 a.m. — Story Updated with Latest Comments

NASA’s press secretary and a representative of the NASA veterans’ group were consulted to reflect the most recent statements.