<ul><li>US President Donald Trump proposes allocating over $1 billion for Mars exploration through the Commercial Mars Payload Services Program (CMPS) in the 2026 budget.</li><li>The budget includes plans for NASA to award contracts to private companies for developing spacesuits, communications systems, and a human-rated landing vehicle for Mars exploration.</li><li>The budget also proposes significant cuts to NASA's funding by about 25%, particularly impacting its science portfolio, which has drawn criticism from industry experts and lawmakers.</li><li>The administration aims to shift towards private sector-led missions to the moon to minimize costs and reduce risks, potentially facing resistance from veteran members of Congress supporting existing plans.</li></ul>

Trump Wants $1 Billion For Private-Sector-Led Mars Exploration

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