Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy And Science

After months of uncertainty, NASA science has been spared from the largest proposed budget cuts in the agency’s history. In this episode of Planetary Radio, host Sarah Al-Ahmed unpacks how Congress moved to restore near-full funding for NASA science and what that victory really means for missions, researchers, and the future of space exploration. Sarah is joined by Jack Kiraly, director of government relations at The Planetary Society, and Ari Koeppel, an AAAS science & technology policy fellow at The Planetary Society, to break down what passed in the FY 2026 budget, why the details matter, and how bipartisan support helped protect science programs across planetary science, astrophysics, Earth science, and heliophysics. The conversation also takes an honest look at the costs of the past year, from lost jobs and disrupted missions to shaken morale, and why rebuilding NASA’s scientific workforce will take time, even after this hard-won win. We also look ahead to what comes next as the FY 2027 b