The National Space Society Celebrates Victory in Saving NASA Science

Passage of H.R. 6938 Restores Near‑Full Funding for NASA, Protecting U.S. Leadership in Exploration and Discovery

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL, UNITED STATES, January 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The National Space Society (NSS) proudly celebrates the bipartisan passage of H.R. 6938, legislation that restores nearly‑full funding for NASA, including its Science Mission Directorate. The passage comes after months of uncertainty and proposed cuts that threatened to halt decades of progress in planetary science, astrophysics, heliophysics, and Earth science. It also preserves missions already in operation from early termination. With the passage of this bill, Congress has shown strong bipartisan support for U.S. space leadership and makes an investment in discovery, innovation, and a thriving future for humanity in space.

This outcome marks a major victory for the Save NASA Science coalition, a broad alliance of scientific, educational, and space‑advocacy organizations, including the NSS, that mobilized rapidly in response to the unprecedented threat to U.S. scientific capability. The coalition’s public statement celebrated the vote by Congress while also acknowledging the damage that was done to science programs. The NSS is proud to have played a role in this effort, activating its grassroots network, engaging congressional offices, and amplifying the message that NASA science is foundational to American leadership in space.

"This vote is a victory not only for NASA, but for every American who believes in exploration, discovery, and the promise of a spacefaring future,” said Grant Henriksen, Chair of the NSS Policy Committee. “Restoring funding for NASA protects the missions, the workforce, and the technological foundations that will carry humanity deeper into the solar system. The National Space Society is proud to have stood with our partners in the Save NASA Science coalition to defend these essential investments."

Dale Skran, NSS COO/SVP, added: “Some are disappointed in the lack of funding for Mars Sample Return. We believe that this presents an opportunity to complete this important mission as a part of testing humans to Mars vehicles instead of using single-use, purpose-built technology.”

The funding in H.R. 6938 directly supports the NSS’s long‑standing goals of expanding human presence beyond Earth and fostering a vibrant space economy. By maintaining support for NASA’s missions, Congress has preserved critical investments that underpin future space exploration. NASA science drives innovation in robotics, propulsion, communications, and in‑situ resource utilization—technologies central to the NSS’s vision of a sustainable, spacefaring civilization.

ABOUT THE NSS

The National Space Society is the preeminent non-partisan citizens’ voice on space exploration, development, and settlement, reaching millions through its membership, numerous outreach channels, and media activities. The organization was founded in 1987 via a merger of the National Space Institute and the L5 Society. To learn more about the NSS and its mission to establish humanity as a spacefaring species, visit us on the web at nss.org.

Grant Henriksen
National Space Society
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