A former NASA chief has issued a devastating warning about the future of America's space ambitions, saying the damage done by policies under Donald Trump's administration may be impossible to reverse.
Joe Rothenberg, the influential former associate administrator for spaceflight at NASA and one of the masterminds behind the iconic Hubble Space Telescope, is speaking out against what he describes as a catastrophic mishandling of NASA by Trump's second administration.
In a stark warning posted on LinkedIn by former NASA astrobiologist and current policy analyst Keith Cowing, Rothenberg explained how significant cuts and changes at NASA have potentially crippled America's role in global scientific and technological leadership.
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Rothenberg warned: "What is happening at NASA has long-term and potentially unrecoverable consequences to US scientific and technology leadership in not only space but in technology that impacts our quality of life on Earth".
Rothenberg's concern in the LinkedIn post centres on dramatic workforce reductions and resignations, which have seen NASA lose around 20 percent of its staff — along with slashed budgets.
According to Rothenberg, these layoffs aren't merely numbers; they represent a fundamental shift in NASA's culture and capacity, possibly leaving the agency "well beyond the point of being able to be recovered by any potential restoration of funding by Congress."
The former NASA veteran, who began his career at Grumman Aerospace more than sixty years ago and has since served on multiple private aerospace boards, painted a nostalgic yet painful contrast. He recalled a time when NASA inspired countless careers in science and engineering, driving breakthroughs that transformed daily life — ranging from medical technology to communications.
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Now, he fears the opposite is unfolding, with future generations discouraged from pursuing careers in space exploration and scientific research because of current uncertainties and cutbacks. He sees a dangerous ripple effect, potentially undermining America's role as a global innovator.
Rothenberg argues that Trump's "America First" strategy has ironically undermined America's economic, military, and scientific leadership — jeopardising decades of progress in space exploration.
"Indiscriminate cuts in our nation’s scientific research program budgets" could have a disastrous impact, he warned, stating the US "now faces the strong possibility of the reverse happening," as talented scientists and engineers reconsider careers or even seek opportunities abroad.
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The impact could reverberate for generations, according to Rothenberg, marking a painful downturn in America's proud history of scientific achievement and leadership. Rothenberg's stark admission leaves a bitter question for space enthusiasts and industry watchers alike, asking whether America is about to lose its grip on the stars for good.