A major revolt is brewing within the space community over the massive cuts in the latest Trump budget. Nearly 300 current and former NASA employees including astronauts, engineers and scientists have signed the “Voyager Declaration,” protesting recent actions by the Trump administration, that they say threaten the agency’s scientific integrity and mission safety.
The declaration, organized by Stand Up For Science, criticizes the budget cuts, the cancellation of missions already in development, the terminated contracts and grants and the organizational changes that undermine NASA’s ability to conduct critical space and Earth science research.
The 287 signers warn that political interference and abrupt budget reductions could jeopardize decades of progress in space exploration, aeronautics and climate science. They also warn of the growing “culture of organizational silence,” where many employees feel unable to voice concerns without retaliation. Some 150 of the signers, therefore, opted to remain anonymous. The atmosphere, they said, also poses risks to astronaut safety and mission success.
