Trump proposes steep cut to NASA budget as astronauts head for the Moon

Trump's proposed $2 billion cut to NASA's budget threatens the Artemis II lunar mission as astronauts head for the Moon—a reduction 15% deeper than the average annual NASA budget trim under recent administrations. This slash would effectively halt lunar return efforts, jeopardizing the $93 billion Artemis program. Compared to #3's smooth flight progress, where systems perform nominally, this political move creates stark funding uncertainty that could cancel future Moon landings entirely.