Kelly, Schiff, Padilla, Luján Lead Calls for Mars Exploration Funding in NASA Funding Bill

Senators are pushing for a robust NASA budget in face of Trump proposed budget cuts that endanger success of Mars exploration

Today, retired NASA astronaut and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly joined Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) to push for a strong, sustainable future for Mars exploration in the Fiscal Year 2027 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.

In a letter to Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Ranking Member Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), the senators urge at least $400 million in FY 2027 for the Mars Sample Return mission, the top priority of the scientific community-led Planetary Science Decadal Survey.

The President's latest budget proposal would cut $3.4 billion from NASA's Science program and terminate more than 40 missions, jeopardizing U.S. leadership in scientific discovery.

"While Congress provided funding for NASA's Science programs in last year's appropriations, Mars exploration initiatives remained significantly underfunded and well below the House Appropriations level of $300 million. We are deeply concerned both by last year's constrained funding levels and by the prospect of further reductions to NASA Science in the upcoming President's budget request," the senators wrote.

The senators emphasized the need to sustain U.S. leadership in space and highlighted growing global competition, including from China: "As we set sights on the high ground of space exploration, we must preserve our presence and talent, tackle the next challenges that enable eventual human missions to Mars, and build upon a foundation of success as reflected by the numerous American flags that already sit on the Martian surface. Any erosion of vital infrastructure and intellectual capital would deliver lasting damage to the U.S. economy and undermine our leadership on the global stage in science and technology. In addition, we cannot allow the U.S. to cede the high ground to the Chinese government, which is already working to land its own robotic Mars missions."

Read the full letter here.