"The chilling warning comes as a new culture of fear and silence has descended on NASA after Trump officials instituted dramatic staff reductions, along with alleged unilateral budget cuts and the gagging of an important program that allows people to air safety and performance issues without fear of reprisals, according to the report released by Democrats on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation."
"The allegations also come at the same time as draconian funding cuts proposed by Trump that would see NASA's 2026 budget go from $24.8 billion to just $18.8 billion, a decrease of 24 percent. Congress hasn't approved these numbers yet, and members have already signaled they want to keep the same funding level for NASA's 2026 budget. But Trump officials have usurped Congress' constitutional authority, according to the report, and have been pressuring NASA to enact the cuts without lawmakers' approval."
Whistleblowers at NASA say leadership changes and policy shifts have seriously compromised safety culture and raised fears of an imminent astronaut fatality. Dramatic staff reductions, alleged unilateral budget cuts, and the gagging of a program that lets employees report safety and performance concerns have created a culture of fear and silence. Workers report that keeping their heads down is necessary to retain jobs. Historic mission tragedies underscore the stakes. Proposed 2026 funding would drop from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion, a 24 percent cut. Officials have pressured NASA to enact cuts without congressional approval, raising constitutional and oversight concerns.
Read at Futurism
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