This Sunday, July 20, 2025, marks the 56th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969, when humanity first set foot on the Moon. 

As the only space agency to achieve this milestone, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) celebrates this occasion for its unparalleled legacy in space exploration, according to space.com.

Protests against potential budget cuts
Amid the anniversary, a group of NASA employees and supporters, organised under the banner "NASA Needs Help," will stage a demonstration in Washington, DC, to protest anticipated cuts to science programmes and staffing. 

The protest, supported by the Goddard Engineers, Scientists and Technicians Association, is expressing concerns over NASA leadership’s compliance with the White House’s 2026 budget request, which, though not yet law, proposes significant reductions to the agency’s funding.

Details of the budget cut
The proposed 2026 budget request drastically reduces NASA’s funding, slashing science programmes by 47% and overall agency funding by 24%. 

The cuts disproportionately affect Earth science, particularly climate research, and deep-space planetary missions, with 41 missions facing potential cancellation. 

Scientists warn that these reductions could compromise national security, hinder natural disaster monitoring, and weaken the United States’ leadership in space exploration.

Aftermath of mission cancellations
Cancelling ongoing missions, many of which continue to transmit critical data, poses significant risks. 

The loss of these programmes could undermine America’s ability to track environmental changes, respond to natural disasters, and maintain its competitive edge in space technology and exploration, according to concerned scientists.

NASA's official stance
NASA officials have acknowledged the upcoming demonstration but clarified that the agency has no affiliation with the protest. The space agency remains focused on its mission while navigating the uncertainties surrounding the proposed budget cuts.

Organisers of the demonstration are urging Congress to intervene with emergency legislation to safeguard NASA’s funding and operations. They emphasise the need for legislative action, rather than speculative budget proposals, to determine the future of the space agency and prevent irreparable damage to its programmes.