The James Webb Space Telescope, a significant advancement in astronomy, faces a possible budget cut of up to 20% from the Space Telescope Science Institute, jeopardizing its operations. The cut, prompted by broader NASA budget constraints, could significantly impact Webb's ongoing scientific contributions and overall mission effectiveness. Experts, including Tom Brown from STSci, express concern that these reductions could stifle progress for the telescope, which has already exceeded its initial expectations since its launch in December 2021. The timeline for these cuts remains uncertain, as does their influence on NASA's previously allocated budget for 2025.
"NASA is having budget constraints across the entire board, so the institute is being asked to consider a significant - about 20 percent - cut to our operational budget for the mission starting later this year," Tom Brown, the head of the Webb mission at STSci, told his fellow scientists during a recent meeting of the American Astronomical Society.
"It's extremely worrisome that the impending budget cuts could impact every aspect of Webb's operations, particularly given its astonishing performance since launch."
"The thought of losing any of its earmarked money this soon into the mission is troubling for both scientists and the future of astronomical research."
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