ACCOMACK COUNTY, Va. -- President Donald Trump's proposed budget could slash billions of dollars from NASA. There is growing concern on Virginia's Eastern Shore about what this could mean for Wallops Island.
"It's going to be hard, there's no way around it, budget cuts on any level is hard," said Chincoteague Mayor Denise Bowden. "I'm just hoping and praying that we'll, you know, pick up our bootstraps and get through it and see what happens."
The President's proposed budget does include an additional $647 million for Human Space Exploration for FY26. That includes over $7 billion for lunar exploration and the introduction of $1 billion in new investments for Mars-focused programs.
However, it cuts billions of dollars from several other programs.
Proposed Cuts, Reductions, and Consolidations:
- Space Science: (-) $2.3 billion
- Mission Support: (-) $1.1 billion
- Earth Science: (-) $1.2 billion
- Legacy Human Exploration Systems: (-) $879 million
- Space Technology: (-) $531 million
- International Space Station: (-) $508 million
- Aeronautics: (-) $346 million
- Office of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics(STEM) Engagement: (-) $143 million
A more detailed breakdown of Trump's proposed budget and its impacts on NASA can be found here.
Within that budget is a more than 50% decrease in the sounding rockets program. It also shows no future funding for the Balloon Project. Wallop's Flight Facility manages NASA's scientific balloon program.
Bowden hopes the cuts won't lead to job losses.
"There's so many people here from Chincoteague and the surrounding areas in the county that work there," said Bowden. "I can name off a dozen people off the top of my head right now that I know that works over there everyday."
Janet Petro, Acting Administrator of NASA said the following about the proposed cuts:
"We must continue to be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars. That means making strategic decisions - including scaling back or discontinuing ineffective efforts not aligned with our Moon and Mars exploration priorities. Doing so will allow us to form a stronger NASA - one where we are allocating agency resources toward achieving our ambitious objectives in human space exploration and scientific discoveries."
WBOC reached out to Senators Tim Kaine (D) and Mark Warner (D) on Monday.
Senator Kaine provided us with the following:
"I strongly oppose the massive cuts President Trump is proposing to NASA that will impact the Wallops Flight Facility. Why would you hobble NASA programs unless you are trying to advantageRussian and Chinese space programs? These proposed cuts, if the House and Senate pass them, would destroy NASA as we know it,and have a devastating impact on the Eastern Shore community and economy. I will fight them tooth and nail."
Trump's proposed budget passed the House in May. The Senate is currently reviewing it.