Senate passes minibus bill funding NASA, rejecting Trump's proposed cuts

The Senate has passed an appropriations bill that largely preserves NASA's scientific capabilities, rejecting President Trump's proposed 24% cut to the agency's budget. The bill reduces NASA's total operating budget by only 1.6% to $24.4 billion, with the Science Mission Directorate's funding cut by just 1.1% to $7.25 billion. Notably, the bill maintains funding for NASA's STEM engagement office, which the president proposed eliminating, and provides $110 million for the agency to continue developing technologies for future science missions to Mars. The bill also directs NASA to preserve the capabilities of the Goddard Space Flight Center and ensure minimal disruption to the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, a leading climate research lab. While the funding cuts are less severe than the president's proposal, the agency will still need to do more with less due to inflation. The article highlights that the circumstances remain less than ideal, and there is a possibility of further budget battles in the future.