Here’s where most of this proposed money would go: Mars Telecommunications Orbiter: $700 million for the commercial procurement of a Mars Telecommunications Orbiter.
This orbiter would be dual-use; it would aid NASA’s Mars Sample Return campaign to haul core samples of Mars to Earth and future crewed Mars missions as well.
Gateway: $2.6 billion to fully fund the moon-orbiting space station known as Gateway, which is currently a key part of NASA’s Artemis architecture.
Space Launch System: $4.1 billion to fund Space Launch System (SLS) rockets for the Artemis 4 and Artemis 5 missions.
Related stories: — Trump administration proposes slashing NASA budget by 24% — Experts alarmed as White House proposes ‘largest single-year cut to NASA in American history’ — Trump’s 2026 budget plan would cancel NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission.
U. S. Sene. The legislative directives for the Senate Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill were revealed on Friday, June 5, by Ted Cruz (R-Texas), the chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
These directives prioritize beating China to the moon and Mars; the proposal allocates almost $10 billion more than what is currently available to “win the new space race with China and ensure America dominates space.”. “..”.
Additionally, it provides funding for technology that will support future missions to Mars, the International Space Station (ISS), NASA’s Artemis lunar program, and the agency’s moon-to-Mars.
Information, information, information.
A significant component of the recently proposed Section 0005 would allocate $9,995 billion for fiscal year 2025 as additional funding for vital infrastructure in these regions. This is where the majority of the suggested funding would go.
The commercial acquisition of a Mars Telecommunications Orbiter is expected to cost $700 million. In addition to supporting upcoming crewed Mars missions, this orbiter would help NASA’s Mars Sample Return campaign, which aims to transport core samples of Mars to Earth. (The Mars Sample Return is canceled in President Trump’s 2026 budget request. ).
Currently a major component of NASA’s Artemis architecture, Gateway is a moon-orbiting space station that will be fully funded with $2.66 billion. The 2026 budget proposal from President Trump eliminates Gateway. ().
Launch System: $41 billion will be used to finance the Artemis 4 and Artemis 5 missions’ Space Launch System (SLS) rockets. According to Cruz’s latest proposal, SLS is the only human-rated rocket currently in operation capable of sending humans to the moon. The on-ramping of commercial rockets, like SpaceX’s Starship, which is still in development, would still be possible if and when this funding becomes available.
Orion Crew Vehicle: $20 million to finance the ongoing acquisition of the fourth Orion capsule, which will be used on Artemis 4 with SLS and later on Artemis missions. (The White House’s 2026 budget proposal eliminates both SLS and Orion following the 2027 launch of the Artemis 3 moon landing mission. ().
$1.25 billion is allocated for the five-year operations of the International Space Station. This would preserve the orbiting lab until its scheduled retirement in 2030 and facilitate a smooth transition to low-Earth orbit private space stations thereafter.
U. A. $325 million is needed to fund the U.S. S. When the ISS reaches the end of its useful life, the Deorbit Vehicle will safely bring it down. NASA chose SpaceX to construct this spacecraft in 2024.
NASA facilities.
The bill would allocate $1 billion to upgrade NASA’s human spaceflight centers’ infrastructure.
According to the recently published document, NASA has more than $5 billion in backlogs for infrastructure across all of its centers. The $1 billion in center funding would go toward the infrastructure required to beat China to the moon and Mars as well as the agency’s human spaceflight centers.
The specifics are as follows.
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$120 million will be used to upgrade and repair the Stennis Space Center’s infrastructure. NASA’s rocket engine testing for the heavy-lift rocket engines required to reach deep space is conducted at Stennis.
Infrastructure repairs at the Kennedy Space Center will cost $250 million. NASA has launched all of its astronauts into space from KSC, the agency’s premier launch complex.
$300 million for improvements and repairs to the Johnson Space Center’s infrastructure. The astronaut corps, mission control, and overall space operations are housed at JSC.
$100 million will be used to upgrade and repair the Marshall Space Flight Center’s infrastructure. The primary location for NASA’s propulsion research is Marshall.
The Michoud Assembly Facility will receive $30 million for upgrades and repairs to its infrastructure.
Related stories:.
— The Trump administration wants to cut NASA’s funding by 24%.
— The White House’s proposal for the “largest single-year cut to NASA in American history” alarms experts.
— NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission would be canceled under Trump’s 2026 budget plan. According to experts, that is a “major step back.”.
Timelines.
Additionally, at least half of the funds must be obligated by September, per Section 0005. 30, 2028; all 100 of them by September at the latest. 30, 2029; and by September at the latest, all related expenses. March 30, 2034.
Over a ten-year period, the Congressional Budget Office projects that $9.96 billion will be committed and spent.
The text of the bill is available here.
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