NASA has revoked grants and contracts worth up to $420 million following directives from the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). While the agency confirmed the cuts, it declined to disclose which programs were affected.

Independent research by The Planetary Society suggests climate science and diversity-focused initiatives were primary targets. Among those impacted were MIT’s project mapping environmental risks in prisons and the University of Oklahoma’s flood simulations for tribal lands. Other losses include studies on spaceflight’s effects on human cells and lunar dust contamination risks.

NASA’s public grant database, used to track funding, has been removed, raising transparency concerns. Critics argue the cancellations contradict the rigorous selection process that identified these projects as scientifically valuable.

One of the most controversial cuts includes funding for the National Society of Black Physicists’ annual conference. NASA reportedly cited a presidential executive order on DEI programs as the reason. The organization plans to appeal the decision.

Researchers worry political motives are influencing scientific priorities, with experts calling the cuts “deeply troubling.” Meanwhile, the full scope of the funding withdrawals remains uncertain as NASA withholds further details.