From BBC
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Science correspondent
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The row between US President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk over a major spending bill has exacerbated uncertainty over the future of Nasa’s budget, which was already facing deep cuts.
The White House had requested huge cuts to the space agency’s budget, which would see funding for science projects cut by nearly a half.
Now the president has threatened to withdraw federal contracts with Musk’s company, Space X, further jeopardising the US space programme.
Nasa relies on the firm’s Falcon 9 rocket fleet to resupply the International Space Station with crew and supplies. The space agency also expects to use its Starship rocket to send astronauts to the Moon and eventually to Mars once it has been developed.
Dr Simeon Barber, a space scientist at the Open University, said that the uncertainty was having a “chilling impact” on the human space programme.
“The astonishing exchanges, snap decisions and U-turns we’ve witnessed in the last week undermine the very foundations that we build our ambitions on.
“Space science and exploration relies upon long term planning and cooperation between government, companies and academic institutions.”
Even before the feud between Trump and Musk, there was concern about the proposed cuts.
Forty science missions, which are in development or in space already, are in line to be stood down.
All sectors have been earmarked for savings, apart from an effort to send astronauts to Mars, which has received a $100m (£74m) boost.
According to Casey Dreier, chief of space policy for the
