How much research funding does the National Aeronautics and Space Administration receive?

NASA had about $11 billion in R&D budget authority in fiscal year 2025. For fiscal year 2026, Congress enacted about $11 billion.

NASA Budget History: Federal Funding 1975–2026

This page shows the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's whole budget — science missions, human spaceflight, aeronautics, and technology development together. The series opens in 1975, just after Apollo wound down, with the agency at $3.3 billion in the dollars of the day (about $12.2 billion in 2017 dollars).

The climb through the late 1980s reflects the rebuilding years after the 1986 Challenger accident — including funding for a replacement shuttle orbiter — and the start of the space station program. That push carried the budget to its all-time real-terms peak in 1992, at about $22.8 billion in 2017 dollars. What followed is the striking part: since the mid-1990s the budget has held between about $17 billion and $21 billion in 2017 dollars every year, through shuttle retirement, the rise of commercial spaceflight, and the start of Artemis.

Fiscal year 2025 came in at about $24.8 billion in current dollars (about $19 billion in 2017 dollars). The 2026 figure of $18.8 billion — a proposed cut of about a quarter — is the estimate from the White House budget request. Congress largely rejected it: the enacted FY 2026 appropriation came to about $24.4 billion, essentially holding the agency level. The budget-cycle section below shows the reversal, stage by stage.

The current budget cycle: FY 2026 enacted, FY 2027 requested

What Congress enacted for fiscal year 2026 and what the White House has requested for FY 2027, account by account. Budget authority in millions of dollars.

The research and development share of this budget — as estimated by AAAS, excluding non-R&D activities in these accounts — came to $11B enacted for FY 2026 · $6.5B requested for FY 2027 (-40.4%).

Account	FY 2026 enacted	FY 2027 request	Change
NASA accounts
Deep Space Exploration Systems	$7.8B	$8.5B	+9.4%
Science	$7.3B	$3.9B	-46.3%
LEO and Spaceflight Operations	$4.2B	$3B	-27%
Aeronautics Research	$935M	$610M	-34.8%
Space Technology	$921M	$624M	-32.2%
STEM Engagement	$143M	$0M	-100%
NASA Total	$24.4B	$18.8B	-23%
Deep Space Exploration detail
ACD: Cislunar, Surface, Lander	$2B	$2.3B	+13.6%
Orion Program	$1.4B	$1.2B	-14%
Space Launch System (SLS)	$1.3B	$1.5B	+14.4%
ACD: Gateway	$0M	$750M	—
Exploration Ground Systems	$0M	$750M	—
Artemis Campaign Development	$0M	$750M	—
Total Deep Space Exploration	$7.8B	$8.5B	+9.4%
Science Mission Directorate detail
Planetary Science	$2.5B	$1.9B	-26.2%
Earth Science	$2.2B	$1B	-52.6%
Astrophysics	$1.6B	$552M	-65.4%
Heliophysics	$875M	$420M	-52%
Bio and Physical Sciences	$86M	$25M	-70.9%
Science Total	$7.3B	$3.9B	-46.3%
Mission directorates
Mars Sample Return	$0M	$0M	—
Astrophysics Research	$0M	$108M	—
Lunar Exploration	$0M	$204M	—
Heliophysics Research	$0M	$118M	—
Earth Science Research	$0M	$260M	—
Mars Exploration	$0M	$248M	—
Discovery	$0M	$0M	—

See the full appropriations tracker across every agency

Budget history

NASA's budget peaked in real terms in 1992 and has held remarkably steady — around $19–20 billion in 2017 dollars — for most of three decades.

The NASA total agency budget, every fiscal year on record.

Millions of constant 2017 dollars — adjusted for inflationFY 2026: budget-request estimate

Source: AAAS Historical R&D Data · as of 2025-10-23

1987 — Post-Challenger rebuilding. Funding jumps in the year after the Challenger accident, including money toward a replacement orbiter.
1992 — Shuttle–station era peak. NASA's all-time real-terms high, about $22.8 billion in 2017 dollars, during the space station buildup.
2013 — Sequestration. Budget caps produce the deepest dip of NASA's flat modern era.

See the numbers behind this chart

NASA total agency budget by fiscal year. Dollar values in millions; source AAAS Historical R&D Data.
Fiscal year	Nominal dollars	Constant 2017 dollars	R&D share of GDP
1975	3,267	12,157	—
1976	3,669	12,766	0.2%
1977	3,846	12,479	0.19%
1978	4,063	12,355	0.18%
1979	4,559	12,824	0.18%
1980	5,243	13,566	0.19%
1981	5,522	13,012	0.18%
1982	5,981	13,178	0.14%
1983	6,809	14,374	0.077%
1984	7,231	14,735	0.076%
1985	7,551	14,890	0.084%
1986	7,764	14,974	0.082%
1987	10,875	20,515	0.091%
1988	9,002	16,447	0.091%
1989	10,969	19,264	0.11%
1990	12,222	20,708	0.12%
1991	13,868	22,687	0.13%
1992	14,316	22,847	0.13%
1993	14,309	22,312	0.13%
1994	14,548	22,201	0.13%
1995	13,996	20,915	0.13%
1996	13,884	20,364	0.12%
1997	13,709	19,756	0.11%
1998	13,638	19,411	0.11%
1999	13,665	19,211	0.1%
2000	13,602	18,733	0.094%
2001	14,253	19,165	0.094%
2002	14,892	19,714	0.094%
2003	15,388	19,511	0.095%
2004	15,599	19,194	0.09%
2005	16,196	19,302	0.083%
2006	16,659	19,321	0.083%
2007	16,285	18,504	0.081%
2008	17,402	19,573	0.076%
2009	17,832	19,884	0.061%
2010	18,724	20,468	0.062%
2011	18,448	19,807	0.059%
2012	17,771	18,739	0.07%
2013	16,865	17,466	0.066%
2014	17,646	18,088	0.068%
2015	18,010	18,314	0.063%
2016	19,285	19,285	0.072%
2017	19,653	19,226	0.056%
2018	21,270	20,430	0.055%
2019	20,542	19,477	0.051%
2020	21,198	19,430	0.07%
2021	23,483	20,117	0.053%
2022	23,794	19,492	0.049%
2023	25,748	20,544	0.043%
2024	24,875	19,421	0.039%
2025	24,838	18,998	0.037%
2026est.	18,800	14,380	0.024%

Where the money goes

Science missions and human spaceflight (Exploration and Space Operations) split most of NASA's money.

The major NASA budget lines tracked by AAAS. These are appropriations accounts — they overlap the budget-history series but are not an exact decomposition of it.

Millions of constant 2017 dollars — adjusted for inflationFY 2026: budget-request estimateScience, Aeornautics and TechnologyHuman Space FlightMisson SupportScienceAeronauticsSpace TechnologyExplorationSpace OpsSupport and ConstructionSTEM EngagementOffice of the Inspector GeneralAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009COVID-19 Emergency Funding, 2020

Source: AAAS Historical R&D Data · as of 2025-10-23

See the numbers behind this chart

NASA budget lines by fiscal year, in millions of constant 2017 dollars. Source AAAS Historical R&D Data.
Fiscal year	Science, Aeornautics and Technology	Human Space Flight	Misson Support	Science	Aeronautics	Space Technology	Exploration	Space Ops	Support and Construction	STEM Engagement	Office of the Inspector General	American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009	COVID-19 Emergency Funding, 2020
1993	7,654	3,505	2,586	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1994	8,839	2,970	2,574	—	—	—	—	—	—	130	22	—	—
1995	8,882	2,842	2,451	—	—	—	—	—	—	153	24	—	—
1996	8,317	3,175	2,374	—	—	—	—	—	—	161	23	—	—
1997	7,859	3,141	2,477	—	—	—	—	—	—	174	24	—	—
1998	7,902	3,385	2,331	—	—	—	—	—	—	185	26	—	—
1999	7,949	3,264	2,448	—	—	—	—	—	—	195	28	—	—
2000	8,990	4,151	—	—	777	—	1,695	—	—	191	28	—	—
2001	9,502	3,848	—	—	770	—	2,118	—	—	178	31	—	—
2002	10,654	10,976	—	—	855	—	2,141	—	—	301	31	—	—
2003	—	—	—	5,691	760	—	2,487	6,487	3,804	252	32	—	—
2004	—	—	—	5,479	1,034	—	2,734	5,763	3,867	283	33	—	—
2005	—	—	—	5,266	921	—	2,115	6,809	3,942	213	37	—	—
2006	—	—	—	4,903	835	—	2,851	6,454	4,053	188	37	—	—
2007	—	—	—	5,238	675	—	3,261	5,810	3,352	132	37	—	—
2008	—	—	—	5,324	575	—	3,711	6,104	3,657	165	37	—	—
2009	—	—	—	5,021	558	—	3,909	6,428	3,743	189	37	1,117	—
2010	—	—	—	4,916	543	301	3,963	6,714	3,794	197	40	—	—
2011	—	—	—	5,282	573	490	4,103	5,525	3,639	156	39	—	—
2012	—	—	—	5,350	600	605	3,909	4,412	3,679	144	40	—	—
2013	—	—	—	4,952	548	636	3,838	3,858	3,477	120	37	—	—
2014	—	—	—	5,277	580	590	4,216	3,868	3,398	120	38	—	—
2015	—	—	—	5,332	653	610	3,603	4,704	3,255	121	38	—	—
2016	—	—	—	5,584	634	686	3,996	5,032	3,200	115	37	—	—
2017	—	—	—	5,637	642	809	4,093	4,835	3,076	98	37	—	—
2018	—	—	—	6,479	663	730	4,601	4,562	3,262	96	37	—	—
2019	—	—	—	6,529	687	879	3,875	4,400	2,965	104	37	—	—
2020	—	—	—	6,547	719	1,008	4,136	3,790	3,079	110	41	—	55
2021	—	—	—	6,601	710	942	5,321	3,514	2,883	109	38	—	—
2022	—	—	—	6,238	721	901	5,410	3,256	2,816	112	37	—	—
2023	—	—	—	6,220	746	957	6,079	3,405	2,984	114	38	—	—
2024	—	—	—	5,726	730	859	5,985	3,295	2,677	112	37	—	—
2025	—	—	—	5,610	715	841	5,864	3,228	2,595	109	36	—	—
2026est.	—	—	—	2,989	450	435	6,358	2,396	1,728	—	31	—	—

Basic, applied, or development?

Basic research asks how the world works, applied research aims at a specific problem, and development turns knowledge into working systems. This split covers NASA, from 2000 — the first year all three categories are reported.

NASA's research mix leans on basic science and development — building spacecraft is development work.

Research and development at NASA, split by character of work.

Millions of constant 2017 dollars — adjusted for inflationFY 2026: budget-request estimateBasic researchApplied researchDevelopment

Source: AAAS Historical R&D Data · as of 2025-10-23

See the numbers behind this chart

NASA research by character of work and fiscal year, in millions of constant 2017 dollars. Source AAAS Historical R&D Data.
Fiscal year	Basic research	Applied research	Development
2000	2,958	2,124	3,741
2001	2,279	3,495	3,722
2002	2,531	3,664	3,426
2003	2,866	4,142	3,849
2004	3,136	3,811	4,043
2005	3,059	2,692	4,404
2006	2,740	2,002	6,101
2007	2,689	1,202	7,264
2008	2,480	638	6,920
2009	1,012	787	5,645
2010	931	728	6,089
2011	1,308	2,561	5,793
2012	3,415	2,845	5,738
2013	3,111	2,865	5,623
2014	3,438	2,529	5,974
2015	3,290	2,388	5,967
2016	3,639	2,480	7,356
2017	3,606	2,476	4,569
2018	3,210	1,967	5,572
2019	4,753	2,635	2,776
2020	6,310	2,530	5,148
2021	4,129	2,431	4,562
2022	4,898	2,079	3,627
2023	4,610	2,035	4,003
2024	3,466	1,375	3,867
2025	3,446	1,347	3,746
2026est.	1,961	977	2,559

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

The current budget cycle: FY 2026 enacted, FY 2027 requested

Budget history

NASA's budget peaked in real terms in 1992 and has held remarkably steady — around $19–20 billion in 2017 dollars — for most of three decades.

Where the money goes

Science missions and human spaceflight (Exploration and Space Operations) split most of NASA's money.

Basic, applied, or development?

NASA's research mix leans on basic science and development — building spacecraft is development work.

Common questions

Keep following the science

The current budget cycle: FY 2026 enacted, FY 2027 requested

Budget history

NASA's budget peaked in real terms in 1992 and has held remarkably steady — around $19–20 billion in 2017 dollars — for most of three decades.

Where the money goes

Science missions and human spaceflight (Exploration and Space Operations) split most of NASA's money.

Basic, applied, or development?

NASA's research mix leans on basic science and development — building spacecraft is development work.

Common questions

Related episodes

Keep following the science