Posted: Sat, May 24, 2025, 7:33 AM ET (1133 GMT)
NASA says long-running budget shortfalls have led it to consider reducing the crew on the International Space Station. At a briefing Tuesday, NASA's ISS program manager said that "a cumulative multi-year budget reduction" for ISS operations has reduced the number of cargo flights and amount of cargo being delivered to the station. As a result, NASA has been considering options that would reduce the crew size on the US segment of the station from four astronauts to three. That analysis predates the fiscal year 2026 budget proposal released earlier this month that mentioned crew and research reductions on the ISS triggered by a proposed $500 million budget cut. NASA is still awaiting the full 2026 budget request to examine its impacts on ISS operations.

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