NASA scrambles to cut ISS activity due to budget issues

NASA is exploring significant reductions to its ISS operations, driven by budget constraints, including cutting crew sizes and extending mission durations. Crew Dragon missions will now send only three astronauts instead of four, starting with Crew-12 in February 2026, while ISS stays put for eight months per mission. Upgrades to key instruments like the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer are also on hold. These changes mirror a broader plan by NASA, aligning with budget proposals aimed at safely decommissioning the ISS by 2030 and transitioning to commercial space stations. Cost savings could reach $508 million annually but remain preliminary.