NASA Appropriations and Authorizations: At a Glance

NASA Appropriations and Authorizations: At a Glance

NASA Appropriations and Authorizations: At a Glance

Updated August 6, 2025 (R43419)

Overview

Congressional deliberations about the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) often focus on the availability of funding. This product provides data on past and current NASA appropriations, as well as the President's FY2026 budget request and congressional action on FY2026 appropriations and authorizations of appropriations.

Table 1 shows budget authority for NASA for FY2020-FY2025. Except where noted, the amounts shown include regular, supplemental, and additional appropriations; rescissions; transfers; and reprogramming. Amounts for FY2020-FY2024 are taken from NASA's congressional budget justifications for FY2022-FY2026. Amounts for FY2025 are derived from the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (P.L. 119-4) and "An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14" (P.L. 119-21). Congressional budget justifications are available on the NASA budget website, https://www.nasa.gov/budgets-plans-and-reports/, for FY2026 and for past years back to FY2010.

Table 2 compares FY2025 appropriations, as enacted, with the Administration's request for FY2026; the draft FY2026 appropriations bill, as approved by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (draft bill text and accompanying report available at https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/republicans-appropriations.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/fy26-commerce%2C-justice%2C-science%2C-and-related-agencies-bill-text.pdf and https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP00/20250724/118544/HMKP-119-AP00-20250724-SD002.pdf, respectively); and FY2026 appropriations as reported by the Senate Committee on Appropriations (S. 2354; S.Rept. 119-44). Additional columns will be added to this table as Congress acts on FY2026 appropriations for NASA. Proposed and enacted authorizations also will be added, if applicable.

Table 3 shows FY2024 appropriations provided by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-42), compared with FY2025 appropriations as enacted (P.L. 119-4, P.L. 119-21). It also shows the Administration's request for appropriations for FY2025; FY2025 appropriations as reported by the House Committee on Appropriations (H.R. 9026, H.Rept. 118-582); and FY2025 appropriations as reported by the Senate Committee on Appropriations (S. 4795, S.Rept. 118-198). Further, Table 3 contains information on authorizations of appropriations. In particular, it provides FY2025 authorizations of appropriations as passed by the House (H.R. 8958) in the 118th Congress and FY2025 authorizations of appropriations as introduced in the Senate (S. 933) in the 119th Congress. Note that the NASA Authorization Act of 2022 (P.L. 117-167, Title VII), which is the most recently enacted authorization, did not provide authorizations of appropriations beyond FY2023.

Figure 1 shows NASA's total annual budget authority from the agency's establishment in FY1958 to FY2025, in both current dollars and inflation-adjusted FY2025 dollars.

Table 1. NASA Budget Authority, FY2020-FY2025

(in $ millions)

FY2020

FY2021

FY2022

FY2023

FY2024

FY2025

Science

$7,143a

$7,291

$7,611

$7,792

$7,334

$7,334

Earth Science

1,972

1,997

2,061

2,175

2,195

n/s

Planetary Science

2,713

2,693

3,120

3,217

2,717

n/s

Astrophysics

1,306

1,356

1,394

1,510

1,530

n/s

James Webb Space Telescope

423

415

175

—b

—b

n/s

Heliophysics

725

751

778

805

805

n/s

Biological and Physical Sciences

5

79

83

85

88

n/s

Aeronautics

784

829

881

935

935

935

Space Technology

1,100

1,100

1,100

1,193

1,100

1,100

Exploration

5,960

6,397

6,855

7,448

7,666c

7,666

Exploration Systems Developmentd

4,513

4,539

4,591

4,717

4,533

n/s

Orion

1,407

1,404

1,402

1,315

1,139

n/s

Space Launch System

2,528

2,555

2,600

2,567

2,600

n/s

Exploration Ground Systems

578

580

589

835

794

n/s

Exploration R&D/Artemis Campaign Developmente

1,447

1,858

2,077

2,631

n/s

n/s

Other

—

—

187

101

n/s

n/s

Space Operations

4,135

4,102

3,975

4,267

4,220f

4,220

International Space Station

1,516

1,322

1,262

1,286

n/s

n/s

Space Transportation

1,746

1,872

1,717

1,760

n/s

n/s

Crew and Cargo Program

1,511

1,573

1,570

1,642

1,856

n/s

Space and Flight Support

857

890

889

983

n/s

n/s

Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development

15

18

102

224

228

n/s

Exploration Operations

—

—

5

13

n/s

n/s

STEM Engagement

120

127

137

144

143

143

Space Grant

48

51

55

58

58

58

EPSCoR

24

26

26

26

26

26

MUREP

36

38

43

46

46

n/s

Other

12

12

14

14

14

n/s

Safety, Security, & Mission Services

2,913g

2,937

3,021

3,137

3,129

3,092

Construction and EC&R

433

446

417

612h

300

300

Inspector General

42

44

45

48

48

48

Other

—

—

—

—

—

9,995i

Total

22,629a,g

23,271

24,041

25,573h

24,875

34,833j

Sources: FY2020-FY2024 amounts are from NASA FY2022-FY2026 congressional budget justifications, available at https://www.nasa.gov/budgets-plans-and-reports/. FY2025 amounts are from P.L. 119-4 and P.L. 119-21.

Notes: Except where noted, amounts include regular, supplemental, and additional appropriations; rescissions; transfers; and reprogramming. Figures may not sum to totals because of rounding. R&D = Research and Development; STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; EPSCoR = Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research; MUREP = Minority University Research and Education Program; EC&R = Environmental Compliance and Remediation; n/s = not specified.

a. These values are not adjusted to reflect rescission of $70 million from prior-year unobligated balances (P.L. 116-93, §521(c)).

b. This amount is included in the Astrophysics account.

c. This amount includes $3.133 billion appropriated to the Exploration account by P.L. 118-42 without a specified purpose.

d. Starting with the FY2023 request, NASA renamed Exploration Systems Development as "Common Exploration Systems Development."

e. Starting with the FY2023 request, NASA renamed Exploration R&D as "Artemis Campaign Development."

f. This amount includes $2.136 billion appropriated to the Space Operations account by P.L. 118-42 without a specified purpose.

g. This amount does not include an additional $60 million appropriated by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (P.L. 116-136).

h. This amount includes $556.4 million in emergency supplemental funding provided in P.L. 117-328, Division N.

i. P.L. 119-21 includes FY2025 appropriations for several NASA programs and activities. The law does not identify the corresponding account for all of the specified programs, and in some instances, the law includes specific direction that the appropriations may be applied only to a subset of activities in a program. For instance, the law provides $700 million for a "high-performance Mars telecommunications orbiter" and $4.1 billion for the Space Launch System for Artemis Missions IV and V. Therefore, this amount ($9.995 billion) is listed as "Other" in this table.

j. P.L. 119-4, Section 1101, provided FY2025 appropriations at FY2024 regular enacted levels unless otherwise specified. Accordingly, this table shows the enacted amounts for FY2025 as being the same as for FY2024 in P.L. 118-42, Division C, except for the Safety, Security, and Mission Services account, for which P.L. 119-4 specified $3,092 million. P.L. 119-21 provided additional FY2025 appropriations for select NASA programs and activities, for a total of $9.995 billion.

Table 2. NASA Appropriations, FY2025 and FY2026

(budget authority in $ millions)

FY2025

FY2026

Enacted

Enacted Additional

Request

House Subcmte.

Senate Cmte.

Science

$7,334

n/a

$3,908

$6,000

$7,300

Earth Science

n/s

n/a

1,036

1,325

2,166

Planetary Science

n/s

n/a

1,891

2,500

2,552

Astrophysics

n/s

n/a

523

1,485

1,605

Heliophysics

n/s

n/a

433

625

887

Biological and Physical Sciences

n/s

n/a

25

65

90

Aeronautics

935

n/a

589

775

950

Space Technology

1,100

n/a

569

913

975

Exploration/Deep Space Exploration Systems

7,666

n/a

8,313

9,716

7,783

Common Exploration Systems Developmenta

n/s

n/a

4,895

n/s

n/s

Orion

n/s

n/a

1,371

1,370

1,421

Space Launch System

n/s

n/a

2,001

2,500

1,308

Exploration Ground Systems

n/s

n/a

658

n/s

867

Commercial Moon and Mars Infrastructure Developmentb

n/a

n/a

864

n/s

n/s

Artemis Campaign Developmentc

n/s

n/a

2,815

n/s

n/s

Human Exploration Requirements and Architecture

n/s

n/a

603

n/s

459

Space Operations

4,220

n/a

3,132

4,150

4,314

International Space Station

n/s

n/a

920

n/s

1,240

Space Transportation

n/s

n/a

1,294

n/sd

1,816

Space and Flight Support

n/s

n/a

646

n/s

1,008

Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development

n/s

n/a

272

500

250

STEM Engagement

143

n/a

0

0

148

Space Grant

n/s

n/a

0

58e

63

EPSCoR

n/s

n/a

0

26e

26

MUREP

n/s

n/a

0

0

46

Other

n/s

n/a

0

0

14

Safety, Security, and Mission Services

3,092

n/a

2,118

3,044

3,107

Construction and EC&R

300

n/a

140

200

275

Inspector General

48

n/a

41

41

48

Other

—

9,995f

—

—

—

Total

24,838

9,995f

18,809

24,838

24,900

Sources: FY2025 enacted amounts are from P.L. 119-4. FY2025 enacted additional amounts are from P.L. 119-21. FY2026 requested amounts are from the FY2026 NASA congressional budget justification, https://www.nasa.gov/budgets-plans-and-reports/. FY2026 House subcommittee appropriations, as approved by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, are from draft bill text and accompanying report available at https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/republicans-appropriations.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/fy26-commerce%2C-justice%2C-science%2C-and-related-agencies-bill-text.pdf and https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP00/20250724/118544/HMKP-119-AP00-20250724-SD002.pdf, respectively. FY2026 Senate committee appropriations, as reported by the Senate Committee on Appropriations, are from S. 2354 and S.Rept. 119-44.

Notes: Figures may not sum to totals because of rounding. STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; EPSCoR = Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research; MUREP = Minority University Research and Education Program; EC&R = Environmental Compliance and Remediation; n/s = not specified; n/a = not applicable, as the program had not yet been proposed. Additional columns will be added for FY2026 as Congress acts on FY2026 appropriations legislation.

a. This is referred to in the FY2026 request as "Moon to Mars Transportation System."

b. The FY2026 request proposes creating a Commercial Moon and Mars Infrastructure Development program, which would, if enacted, include both a new program (the Commercial Mars Payload Services program) and some activities currently within the Science Mission Directorate (such as the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program). In addressing the new activities, the FY2026 request states that NASA "will continue to define the content of this new program and will brief Congress as soon as appropriate."

c. This is referred to in the FY2026 request as "Moon to Mars Lunar Systems Development."

d. With respect to Space Transportation, the report accompanying the draft FY2026 appropriations bill approved by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies would provide the two major programs within this account (Crew and Cargo, and Commercial Crew) with "no less than the fiscal year 2025 enacted level for both programs." FY2025 enacted appropriations (P.L. 119-4 and P.L. 119-21) do not specify funding levels for these programs.

e. The draft FY2026 appropriations bill approved by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies proposed relocating NASA's EPSCoR and Space Grant programs into the agency's Safety, Security, and Mission Services account.

f. P.L. 119-21 includes FY2025 appropriations for several NASA programs and activities. The law does not identify the corresponding account for all of the specified programs, and in some instances, the law includes specific direction that the appropriations may be applied only to a subset of activities in a program. For instance, the law provides $700 million for a "high-performance Mars telecommunications orbiter" and $4.1 billion for the Space Launch System for Artemis Missions IV and V. Therefore, this amount ($9.995 billion) is listed as "Other" in this table.

Table 3. FY2024 and FY2025 Enacted NASA Appropriations and Action on FY2025 NASA Authorizations of Appropriations

(budget authority in $ millions)

FY2024
Enacted

FY2025 Appropriations

FY2025 Auth.

Request

House Cmte.

Senate Cmte.

Enacted

Enacted Additional

House
Passed

Senate Intro.

Science

$7,334

$7,566

$7,334

$7,576

$7,334

n/a

$7,334

$7,576

Earth Science

2,195

2,379

2,000

2,369

n/s

n/a

n/s

n/s

Planetary Science

2,717

2,732

2,930

2,722

n/s

n/a

n/s

n/s

Astrophysics

1,530

1,578

1,532

1,583

n/s

n/a

n/s

n/s

Heliophysics

805

787

787

812

n/s

n/a

n/s

n/s

Biological and Physical Sciences

88

91

85

91

n/s

n/a

n/s

n/s

Aeronautics

935

966

966

966

935

n/a

966

966

Space Technology

1,100

1,182

1,182

1,182

1,100

n/a

1,182

1,182

Exploration/Deep Space Exploration Systems

7,666

7,618

7,618

7,648

7,666

n/a

7,618

7,648

Common Exploration Systems Developmenta

4,533

4,213

4,738

4,213

n/s

n/a

n/s

n/s

Orion

1,139

1,031

1,339

1,031

n/s

n/a

n/s

n/s

Space Launch System

2,600

2,423

2,600

2,423

n/s

n/a

n/s

n/s

Exploration Ground Systems

794

759

799

759

n/s

n/a

n/s

n/s

Artemis Campaign Developmentb

n/s

3,288

n/s

n/s

n/s

n/a

n/s

n/s

Human Exploration Requirements and Architecture

n/s

117

n/s

n/s

n/s

n/a

n/s

n/s

Space Operations

4,220

4,390

4,474

4,400

4,220

n/a

4,474

4,474

International Space Station

n/s

1,270

n/s

n/s

n/s

n/a

n/s

n/s

Space Transportation

n/s

1,862

n/s

n/s

n/s

n/a

n/s

n/s

Crew and Cargo Program

1,856

1,762

1,890

n/s

n/s

n/a

n/s

n/s

Space and Flight Support

n/s

1,088

n/s

n/s

n/s

n/a

n/s

n/s

Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development

228

170

n/s

170

n/s

n/a

n/s

n/s

STEM Engagement

143

144

89

144

143

n/a

135

144

Space Grant

58

57

60

59

58

n/a

n/s

n/s

EPSCoR

26

25

29

26

26

n/a

n/s

n/s

MUREP

46

46

0

46

n/s

n/a

n/s

n/s

Other

14

15

0

14

n/s

n/a

n/s

n/s

Safety, Security, and Mission Services

3,129

3,044

3,044

3,044

3,092

n/a

3,044

3,044

Construction and EC&R

300

424

424

424

300

n/a

424

424

Inspector General

48

51

48

51

48

n/a

48

51

Other

—

—

—

—

—

9,995c

—

—

Total

24,875

25,384

25,179

25,434

24,838

9,995c

25,225

25,508

Sources: FY2024 enacted amounts are from P.L. 118-42 and explanatory statement, Congressional Record, March 5, 2024, pp. S1141-S1142. FY2025 requested amounts are from the FY2025 NASA congressional budget justification, available at https://www.nasa.gov/budgets-plans-and-reports/. FY2025 House appropriations, as reported by the House Committee on Appropriations, are from H.R. 9026 and H.Rept. 118-582. FY2025 Senate appropriations, as reported by the Senate Committee on Appropriations, are from S. 4795 and S.Rept. 118-198. FY2025 enacted amounts are from P.L. 119-4. Enacted additional amounts are from P.L. 119-21. FY2025 House-passed amounts are from the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (H.R. 8958), 118th Congress. FY2025 Senate-introduced amounts are from the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2024 (S. 933), 119th Congress, as introduced.

Notes: Figures may not sum to totals because of rounding. Intro. = Introduced; STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; EPSCoR = Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research; MUREP = Minority University Research and Education Program; EC&R = Environmental Compliance and Remediation; n/s = not specified; n/a = not applicable.

a. This is referred to in the FY2025 request as "Moon to Mars Transportation System."

b. This is referred to in the FY2025 request as "Moon to Mars Lunar Systems Development."

c. P.L. 119-21 includes FY2025 appropriations for several NASA programs and activities. The law does not identify the corresponding account for all of the specified programs, and in some instances, the law includes specific direction that the appropriations may be applied only to a subset of activities in a program. For instance, the law provides $700 million for a "high-performance Mars telecommunications orbiter" and $4.1 billion for the Space Launch System for Artemis Missions IV and V. Therefore, this amount ($9.995 billion) is listed as "Other" in this table.

Figure 1. NASA Funding, FY1958-FY2025

(current and constant $)

Sources: Compiled by CRS. FY1958-FY2008 amounts are from NASA, Aeronautics and Space Report of the President: Fiscal Year 2008 Activities, Table D-1A, https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20110012306. FY2009-FY2024 amounts are from NASA congressional budget justifications, available at https://www.nasa.gov/budgets-plans-and-reports/. FY2025 amounts are from P.L. 119-4 and P.L. 119-21. Current dollars were deflated to FY2025 dollars using the gross domestic product (GDP) (chained) price index from the President's budget for FY2025, Historical Table 10.1, https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/BUDGET-2025-TAB/context.

Note: The transition quarter between FY1976 and FY1977 is not shown.