The Juno Mission to Jupiter is in serious financial touble, and needs our help!

I read the other day that next year's appropriations budget for Juno, starting October 1, 2025, has been completely defunded - it will be immediately and completely discontinued, right in the middle of the mission, after many years of designing, building, testing and launching have been already accomplished - talk about a waste of our money, right in the middle of important scientific work!

The recently-appointed admistrator of NASA is under pressure to not support continuing the Juno mission, so I did some research, and found that the final decision on whether to fund the mission now rests within the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. 

I then called and emailed all of the members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to urge them to continue the Juno mission.  I thought more members of Astromart might want to do the same, so here are the key people on those committees to call, to email, and what to say:

Key Congressional Contacts (Appropriations & Oversight)

These people have power over NASA’s budget or have oversight / influence over science & space missions.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D NH) 

Chair, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (this Subcommittee writes the Senate side budget bill that funds NASA among other agencies)       

Washington, D.C. Office Phone: (202) 224 2841. — ask for her appropriations office contact.

Her appropriations requests email: [email protected]   

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Senator Chris Van Hollen (D MD)  

Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science & Related Agencies.        

Washington, D.C. Office Phone: (202) 224 4654 (Senate office) — ask for his appropriations office contact.  And send an email from his website: https://www.vanhollen.senate.gov/contact/email

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Senator Jerry Moran (R KS)  Chair of the same Senate CJS Appropriations Subcommittee.  

Washington, D.C. Office Phone: (202) 224-6521

His email: https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-jerry    

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Representative Hal Rogers (R KY) Chair, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies. This Subcommittee handles the House side of NASA funding among others. (House Appropriations GOP)

His appropriations requests email: [email protected]  

Appropriations Phone: (202) 225 3351

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Representative Grace Meng (D NY)        Ranking Member, House Appropriations CJS Subcommittee. (Congresswoman Grace Meng)

Reach her via Phone: (202) 225-2601

Her appropriations requests email:  [email protected] 

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Here’s a suggested message you can edit and send to the above members of the Appropriations Committees which oversee NASA’s budget.

Subject: Urgent: Please Support Continued Funding for NASA’s Juno Mission

Dear [Senator/Representative] [Last Name],

I’m writing as a concerned citizen and strong supporter of U.S. space science to urge you to ensure that funding for NASA’s Juno mission to Jupiter is continued in the upcoming appropriations process.

The Juno mission is currently approaching a critical stage in its extended science phase and is producing some of the most detailed data ever obtained about Jupiter’s atmosphere, magnetic field, and moons — especially Ganymede, Europa, and Io. The discoveries from Juno directly advance our understanding of how solar systems form and operate — and have major educational and scientific implications.

Juno has already returned extraordinary science at relatively low cost, and much of its science return is still ahead. The marginal cost of continuing operations is small compared to the investment already made. Defunding the mission now would waste prior taxpayer investment and cut short a mission that is still returning groundbreaking data.

I respectfully urge you to:

• Include continued funding for Juno in the FY2026 appropriations bill for NASA,
• Work with NASA leadership to preserve high-value science missions already delivering results,
• Ensure that the U.S. remains a global leader in planetary science and space exploration.

As a concerned citizen who cares deeply about science, innovation, and our leadership in space, I hope you will take action to protect this vital mission. Thank you for your time and your service.

Sincerely,