U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an order designating NASA as a national intelligence and security agency. The document, issued late last month, fundamentally changes the mission of the agency, which for over six decades has been dedicated to space and Earth exploration.
According to the order, NASA’s responsibilities now include intelligence, counterintelligence, and national security tasks. As a result, the agency’s focus on science and research is effectively eliminated.
“There’s no mention of science and exploration,” noted Keith Cowing, founder of NASA Watch and a former NASA associate, in a blog post.
This decision comes amid threats from the White House to halve NASA’s science budget in the next fiscal year, which could halt dozens of major space missions.
Experts link Trump’s new order to his desire to militarize space and accelerate programs to send spacecraft to the Moon and Mars.
