National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASA · FY2017–FY2026 budget trends
Conducts space exploration, aeronautics research, and Earth science missions. Manages human spaceflight programs, robotic planetary missions, and the development of next-generation space technologies. Its $15.8 billion in contracts flows heavily to legacy aerospace giants.
💰 Taxpayer Accountability
While SpaceX has demonstrated that space access can be dramatically cheaper, NASA continues to pour billions into the over-budget, behind-schedule Space Launch System. The agency's cost-plus contracting model rewards delays and overruns, creating a system where contractors profit most when projects take longer and cost more.
Budget Authority (FY2026)
$27.2B
Total Contracts
$15.8B
Total Grants
$1.5B
Budget Growth (FY17→25)
+24.4%
+$4.5B
Contracts vs Grants
Budget Trend
Year-over-Year Changes
| FY | Budget | YoY | Obligated | YoY | Outlays | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $24.1B | — | $22.7B | — | $21.5B | — |
| 2018 | $25.4B | +5.7% | $23.4B | +3.1% | $22.5B | +4.8% |
| 2019 | $26.4B | +3.6% | $24.0B | +2.5% | $22.5B | +0.1% |
| 2020 | $27.7B | +5.1% | $25.3B | +5.4% | $23.8B | +5.9% |
| 2021 | $27.9B | +0.7% | $25.2B | -0.1% | $24.3B | +2.0% |
| 2022 | $29.2B | +4.7% | $26.6B | +5.2% | $25.1B | +3.1% |
| 2023 | $30.9B | +5.9% | $28.3B | +6.5% | $27.3B | +9.0% |
| 2024 | $30.1B | -2.8% | $27.2B | -3.9% | $27.1B | -0.8% |
| 2025 | $41.5B | +38.0% | $28.8B | +5.9% | $26.8B | -1.1% |
| 2026 | $27.2B | -34.3% | $4.3B | -84.9% | $7.1B | -73.6% |
How This Agency's Growth Compares
National Aeronautics and Space Administration grew +24.4% from FY2017 to FY2025 — #14 growing of 18 major agencies.
| # | Agency | Growth % | Growth $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Department of Energy | +154.4% | +$49.4B |
| 2 | Department of Homeland Security | +153.1% | +$44.4B |
| 3 | General Services Administration | +107.7% | +$12.9B |
| 4 | Department of Transportation | +97.4% | +$66.5B |
| 5 | Department of the Interior | +90.5% | +$8.8B |
| 6 | Department of State | +84.0% | +$16.2B |
| 7 | Department of Health and Human Services | +66.7% | +$809.9B |
| 8 | Social Security Administration | +64.9% | +$643.6B |
| 9 | Department of Defense | +52.8% | +$173.1B |
| 10 | Department of Agriculture | +49.9% | +$61.7B |
| 11 | Department of Housing and Urban Development | +43.8% | +$23.7B |
| 12 | Department of Veterans Affairs | +41.7% | +$84.8B |
| 13 | Department of Education | +28.1% | +$21.1B |
| 14 | → National Aeronautics and Space Administration | +24.4% | +$4.5B |
| 15 | Railroad Retirement Board | +15.1% | +$1.9B |
| 16 | Department of Labor | +10.1% | +$1.1B |
| 17 | Department of Justice | -2.5% | -$292.0M |
| 18 | Agency for International Development | -26.6% | -$4.4B |
Related Agencies
Related Pages
Budget Functions
How federal spending is categorized by purpose and function.
Read more →Top Contractors
Which companies receive the most federal contract dollars.
Read more →Spending Explosion
How federal spending has grown dramatically since 2017.
Read more →Sub-Agencies
Detailed spending by sub-agencies and bureaus.
Read more →Source: USASpending.gov · U.S. Department of the Treasury