In the first week of July 2025, planetary science in the United States has seen both challenges and significant developments. According to NASA, extended recovery efforts are underway for the Lunar Trailblazer spacecraft, which lost contact shortly after its launch on February twenty-sixth. Updated modeling suggests that sunlight may still reach its solar panels and recharge the batteries. If ground teams can regain control and instruments are still operational, there remains hope that Trailblazer could achieve its original science goals in lunar orbit. However, if communication is not restored soon, the spacecraft will become too distant for further attempts, putting the mission at risk.

Meanwhile, ongoing concerns about federal funding have taken center stage in Washington, D.C. The Planetary Science Caucus, recently reorganized in the House of Representatives, is rallying bipartisan support against the proposed forty-seven percent budget cut to NASA’s science programs for twenty twenty-six. This movement has gained considerable momentum, with eighty-three lawmakers from twenty-eight states signing on to a letter urging restoration of funding to nine billion dollars for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. If enacted, the proposed cuts would force the cancellation of dozens of missions and potentially halt scientific progress, including the termination of active spacecraft and research projects.

On the science and discovery front, NASA’s Juno mission continues its extended exploration of Jupiter and its moons. Led by principal investigator Scott Bolton, Juno has expanded its focus beyond Jupiter’s atmosphere and interior, now targeting close flybys of lesser-known moons such as Thebe and Amalthea. The mission is providing new insights into how planetary systems form and evolve, while also informing upcoming missions like Europa Clipper. Despite being at risk if budget cuts proceed, Juno’s scientific returns remain vital for understanding both our own solar system and planetary systems across the galaxy.

In the realm of public outreach and education, July also marks key anniversaries in planetary exploration, including the sixtieth anniversary of Mariner Four’s historic flyby of Mars, which sent back the first images of another planet from space. NASA’s skywatching tips this month encourage Americans to look for Mars in the evening sky, with Venus and Jupiter making their morning debut. The Buck Moon and the Delta Aquariid meteor shower are also visible, offering the public engaging opportunities to witness planetary phenomena firsthand.

Finally, NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate is currently seeking proposals from early-career faculty at U.S. universities, signaling ongoing investment in the next generation of planetary scientists. As debates over funding and mission viability continue, both the scientific and political landscapes underscore the United States’ pivotal role in shaping the future of planetary science.

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